| As a small holiday resort, Portballintrae has had a long tradition of welcoming visitors and throughout the political conflict of the past thirty years, the village remained free from sectarian violence and provided a haven for those seeking respite from the troubles elsewhere in the Province. But in the wee hours of the 11th of May the normally peaceful village was shocked awake by a vicious racist attack. This is the fourth such attack in less than a year. There has been unanimous condemnation of these incidents and it was felt that the time had come for the community to take a stand against any kind of hate crime in the area as well as to show solidarity with and support for the victims. Thus was born CARA: Community Against Racist Attacks. At a press event on Thursday 15 May 2008, the Portballintrae ResidentsÕ Association, the Mayor of Coleraine, DUP Councillor Maurice Bradley as well as representatives of the Police Advisory Committee, the Rural Development Council, Bushmills Peace Group, local clergy and the Coleraine ChurchesÕ Forum, and many members of the community stated categorically that there was no place in Portballintrae for violence and hatred of any sort. The Association recently put a flyer through every mail slot in the village. Please put it in your window and help to keep Portballintrae a welcoming place for everyone regardless of race, creed or colour. Look for upcoming public events that are designed to encourage understanding and harmony. Residents are urged to report any information they might have that could assist the police in bringing the perpetrators to justice. |
