East Belfast Church Arson Attack Treated As Racially Motivated Hate Crime

An arson attack at a church premises in East Belfast is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police are investigating the incident at a property in the Templemore Street area of the city on the evening of Tuesday, August 27.

It is believed two masked men cut a hole in the church shutters before throwing a “flammable substance” inside the church and setting it alight.

Read more: Man allegedly shouted “get back on your boat” during racist attack, court told

A spokesperson for the PSNI said “It was reported that two masked males, wearing dark coloured track suits, arrived at the church premises shortly before 9.30pm.

“An angle-grinder type tool was then used to cut a hole in the shutters before a flammable substance was thrown inside and set alight.

“Fire service personnel attended and extinguished the fire which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building with further smoke damage caused inside the building.

“Both males are believed to have ran off along Templemore Street after the incident which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

“Officers are appealing to anyone with any information about this incident or who may have doorbell/CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area which may be able to help with the investigation, to call police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1852 27/08/24.”

A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.

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