Arson Attack on Belfast Church Treated as Racially Motivated Hate Crime

An arson attack on the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Templemore Street, east Belfast, is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has said.

Two masked men used an angle-grinder to cut a hole in the shutters of the church shortly before 21:30 BST on Tuesday. Firefighters put out the blaze, which damaged the shutters and the building’s front hall.

Democratic Unionist Party leader and Belfast East MP Gavin Robinson described the attack as “deeply dispiriting.” He said, “My colleagues and I believe in our community that we are better than this and it should not be happening.” Mr Robinson urged local people, who he said had already contacted police and the fire service, to give police any information that could lead to those responsible being apprehended. On Wednesday, he and Ulster Unionist assembly member Andy Allen visited the church.

Alliance Party assembly member Peter McReynolds also condemned the attack, which he called completely unacceptable and truly appalling. “There is no place in our community for such hatred and discrimination,” he said. He added that he was thankful no injuries had been reported and that his thoughts were with church members who were “now left to pick up the pieces.”

The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God said it was regrettable that anyone would cause damage to a Christian church that, in its words, “works extremely hard to help and support the local community.” The church said it did not know the reason for what it called the attempted break-in and would not speculate, but that there was “no good reason for causing damage to a property.” It said its Help Centre remained open as usual and that the pastor and volunteers were ready to support the community with the church’s daily schedule of prayer services and one-to-one advice sessions. The church’s statement presents the Help Centre as a place of charity and hospitality (Matthew 25:35).

East Belfast Churches Network also condemned the attack on the building, which it said housed a help centre. “We are deeply saddened that this has happened, especially to a church and organisation which seeks to help people regardless of race or creed here in east Belfast,” the network said.

Source: Read the original report