NORTH Belfast residents are “at the end of their tether” over anti-social behaviour, a councillor has warned.
Up to 100 youths were involved in incidents in the Oldpark area on Saturday evening, including banging on doors and jumping on top of parked cars.
The front door and an inside door of a house were also damaged when a youth entered the property, with the householder - a woman in her 50s - so upset that police said she was “put in touch with social services to make other accommodation arrangements”.
PSNI Inspector James Murphy said: “When police arrived, the crowd of young people dispersed; we believe that they were aged between 13 and 19.
“We are continually issuing appeals, asking parents and guardians to ensure they know where their children are, what they are doing and who they are with. Yet, we are still regularly called upon to attend incidents of anti-social behaviour to deal with young people who are at times gathering up in large numbers.
“The majority of young people out enjoying themselves, meeting up with friends over the weekends are well behaved, but unfortunately the behaviour of some is having a huge impact on the community.”
SDLP councillor Paul McCusker thanked local residents who arrived at the scene on Saturday to “de-escalate” tensions, but said: “Residents are at the end of their tether with this ongoing behaviour dominating the area at weekends.
“I would urge the teenagers and young adults partaking in this disruption to stop and think of the consequences.”
