Video shows 'sickening and chilling' sectarian attack on home of young Catholic mum in Lurgan

Yesterday the woman, who has a very young child, posted the video from her Ring video bell which showed the attack on Sunday evening at her home in Ashleigh Crescent in Lurgan. One man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted criminal damage and later released on bail.

The girl, who was in the house at the time with her baby, is subjected to a torrent of sectarian abuse as two men bang and kick on her front door.

One politician, SDLP Cllr Ciaran Toman, described the footage as ‘sickening and chilling’ adding that women should feel safe in their own home.

From the very clear footage, a man initially arrives at the door and knocks. He then waves to others to join him and four men are spotted behind him, one who had a grey tracksuit and hoodie was in the young mum’s garden. At that point the man at the front door starts banging with severity and kicking the door. The four men are clearly seen at the front door.

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A woman in the background then tells one of the men to get out and appears to be trying to calm the situation. One man in a red shirt is seen banging loudly on the door while the first man shouts ‘Taigs Out’.

The woman physically pushes some of the men away from the door. However the first man who arrived at the door returns and again bangs on the letter box shouting “I’m going to speak.” The woman, who was trying to diffuse the situation, said: “Your niece and nephew are watching you.” When he ignorers her, she points her finger at his face and disparagingly calls him ‘big man’. “Your fxxking children are watching you.”

Ignoring the woman, the man returns to banging the door and the man in the red shirt says: “See that fxxking camera, take if off now.” They then try to damage the camera with their fists.

Failing to destroy it, the first man said: “Out to fxxk” and continued knocking on her door. When the woman, who had been trying to diffuse the situation, was heard telling them to get back to the house, the first man said: “We are only having a laugh” but continued banging on the door. While banging the door he kept shouting ‘Open the fxxking door’ several times and was booting the door with his feet and shouting obscenities including calling the occupant a ‘Fenian cxxt’. He then could be heard banging windows at the property.

Shouting ‘No Taigs, No Rebels here’ he returned to the front door and gave it a very strong boot and punched the door again shouting obscenities continually while walking away.

The young mum said: “Never thought I would have to do this but as people know I'm a 21 year old single woman raising a 1 and a half year old son on my own living in an area that I thought I would be safe in.

"To cut a long story short last night I put film on for me and child then around 9.00 was putting child to bed having my last feg of the night out the back and I heard an awful racket at the door. These thugs were trying to put my door up my hall and my windows in round me and my baby son. I'm traumatised this was for nothing and it can't be described as anything but sectarianism pure hatred for me because of my religion.

"I'll also like to point out these ‘big men’ have singled me out for nothing, knowing I'm a young woman with a baby on my own.

"They are clearly saying in the video below ‘get this "Fenian out’ ‘the Taigs out’.

"How anyone can justify this is beyond me. We should be safe and left to live in peace. I've never caused an issue or had a complaint made against me.

"I hate to think of what would have happened if they got in my door – big bullies – evil men karma will get yous .… Not the first single girl to be targeted and made to make leave the area.”

A PSNI officer said: “Officers investigating a reported hate crime in the Ashleigh Crescent area of Lurgan on Sunday 30th April have made an arrest.

"A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted criminal damage. He was later bailed to allow for further enquiries.”

SDLP Cllr Ciaran Toman said: “I have reached out after being tagged in footage of a young mother facing sectarian intimidation in her own home in Lurgan.

"We gathered in Lurgan Park not so long ago for a rally to end violence against women and girls yet here in Lurgan we have grown men targeting a female and her young child.

"This is sickening and chilling! Women should be able to feel safe in their own home, free of harassment and this vile behaviour.”

Councillor Toman said: “People in Lurgan and across the North are rightly disgusted at this video that has been circulated on social media which shows the intimidation of a young woman in this area. Everyone should have the right to feel safe and secure in their home and for someone to be targeted in this way is disgraceful. I have reached out to the woman concerned to express my solidarity and to offer our full support at this difficult time.

“I am heartened to have seen widespread condemnation following this incident, if we are ever to stamp out this kind of behaviour then we need politicians and community representatives to show leadership and let people know this kind of act will simply not be tolerated. I welcome swift action from police and would urge them to send a clear message that nobody will be allowed to treat anyone in this way.”

Councillor Declan McAlinden said: “The people behind this awful attack are in no way representative of the community in this area, the vast majority of whom want to live side by side with their neighbours in a spirit of peace and friendship.

"The bigoted actions of a few people cannot be allowed to detract from the progress we have made in community relations in recent years. I would urge people not to let this incident raise tensions within the area and to instead come together and offer their support to those affected.”

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart said: “I have been made aware of a video on social media showing a single mum being verbally abused and her front door being kicked.

"This is reprehensible and I would urge the occupant to report this to the PSNI. They are best placed to deal with this. This behaviour is not welcome in Lurgan or anywhere else.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Keith Haughian condemned the ‘sectarian intimidation’ saying: “The police are investigating the attack which is clearly motivated by sectarian hatred.

“I would appeal for anyone who can help identify the culprits to pass that information onto the police.”