HATE CRIMES PROBED IN RASHARKIN AND DUNLOY

Police are investigating a racist motive for an attack in Rasharkin and a homophobic motive for a separate incident in Dunloy. Some time between 7pm on Tuesday October 25 and 6am on Wednesday October 26 a black Skoda car parked at Bridge Street, Rasharkin, had a rear window smashed. A white-coloured ‘Panther’ female’s bicycle was also stolen during the same incident which happened at the home of an eastern European. A police spokesman said they are treating the Rasharkin incident as a racially-motivated hate crime. And police said they are treating an incident at Braeside Park, Dunloy, on Friday October 28 as a homophobic-motivated hate crime. Around 9.30pm minor damage was caused to the door of a house and police want to hear from anyone who saw people in the vicinity of Braeside Park between 9.30pm and 9.45pm. A man who was in the house at the time was not injured but was “distressed”, according to police. A PSNI spokesperson said: “Hate crimes are crimes committed against people on the basis of their perceived race, disability, political opinion, faith, sexual orientation or gender identity and police in Ballymoney take all reports of these crimes very seriously. “If you have been victimised, don’t allow the aggressor to get away with their crime. Do something for your own sake and for the sake of your community. Reporting hate crime is one way of ensuring that further incidents are prevented and offenders are brought to justice. Contact the local police station and ask to speak to your local Hate Crime and Minority Liaison Officer who will begin an investigation. There is also a facility on the police website where hate crimes can be reported online. Abuse in whatever form should not have to be tolerated.”