Latest news with #PSNIBelfast
BreakingNews.ie
14 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Attack on Islamic Centre in Belfast abhorrent and despicable
An attack on the Islamic Centre in Belfast was 'abhorrent' and 'absolutely despicable', Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. A viable device was thrown through a window of the centre during evening prayer on Friday. Advertisement A 34-year-old man was arrested and police are investigating whether the incident was a hate crime. The Alliance Party leader said it was 'despicable' that people were afraid to go to their place of worship. Police are currently at the scene of a security alert at University Road in south Belfast. A number of cordons are in place in the vicinity. A 34 year old man has been arrested and is currently in custody. Members of the public are asked to avoid the area at this time. — Police South Belfast (@PSNIBelfastS) June 21, 2025 'I think it was an abhorrent attack on people who were at worship, and I think that for any of us, we would accept that that is just not acceptable,' she told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme. 'This is not who we want to be as society. It's not what we want to be known for around the world. Advertisement 'I think it is despicable that people are afraid to go to their place of worship, afraid to go to live in their own homes or go to their school or go to their workplace because of fear of attack because of the colour of their skin or their religion. 'That just isn't acceptable, and that needs to be condemned unequivocally by everyone in society.' Mrs Long was also asked about policing resources in the wake of riots across Northern Ireland, which have been criticised as 'racist thuggery' by police. After disorder broke out in Ballymena for several nights after an alleged sexual assault of a girl, disturbances spread to other areas of Northern Ireland including Portadown, Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Londonderry and Coleraine. Advertisement The Executive pledged an extra £5 million for the PSNI to respond. Mrs Long said that most of that funding had already been spent as the disorder had been a 'drain' on resources. Ireland Politicians condemn attack on Islamic Centre while... Read More 'They need £7 million to be able to do the first year of recruitment for the PSNI to rebuild. That money could have gone towards that. 'It's hugely frustrating at a time when our justice system is so stretched that we have people not just putting pressure on the resources of the PSNI, but destroying their own communities at a cost to everyone in our society, because that will all have to be repaired and rebuilt.' Advertisement She said £200 million in funding over five years requested by PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher was a 'potential game changer' which would 'allow us to rebuild police numbers'.
BreakingNews.ie
15-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man to appear in court charged with 2021 murder of Danny McClean
A man has been charged with the murder of Danny McClean in 2021 and the attempted murder of another man earlier this year. The 50-year-old accused is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Thursday. Advertisement Police said he was arrested in north Belfast on Tuesday. Fifty-year-old man is charged with murder of Danny McClean, and attempted murder of another man. — Police West Belfast (@PSNIBelfastW) May 14, 2025 They said he was charged on Wednesday with the murder of Mr McClean in north Belfast in February 2021. The 54-year-old was shot as he sat in a car parked in the driveway of a property on the Cliftonville Road. He is also charged with the attempted murder of a 49-year-old man as he sat in a taxi in the Bell Steel Manor area of west Belfast on February 23rd this year, and with a number of firearms offences. Advertisement 'The man had also been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Jim Donegan, and has been released unconditionally,' a police spokesperson added. 'As is usual procedure, all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.'
