Northern Ireland

Extra police resources to be deployed in east Belfast after schoolboy attacked near high profile interface

School children make there way past the Ardyone shops yesterday, a day after a school boy from Belfast Boys' Model was targeted in a sectarian attack in the area. Picture: Hugh Russell
School children make there way past the Ardyone shops yesterday, a day after a school boy from Belfast Boys' Model was targeted in a sectarian attack in the area. Picture: Hugh Russell School children make there way past the Ardyone shops yesterday, a day after a school boy from Belfast Boys' Model was targeted in a sectarian attack in the area. Picture: Hugh Russell

Police will deploy extra resources in north Belfast this weekend after a schoolboy was injured in sectarian attack near a high profile interface in the area.

The 15-year-old, who is a son of DUP councillor Frank McCoubrey, was taken to hospital with facial injuries after he was set upon near Ardoyne shops at around 3.30pm on Thursday.

The victim, who suffered bruising and swelling to his face, is a pupil at Belfast Boys Model, a state school on the nearby Ballysillan Road.

It is believed pupils from Edmund Rice College, a Catholic school on the Hightown Road, Glengormley, were also involved.

A video of the incident circulating on social media shows a group of pupils being chased by another group near Ardoyne roundabout, before they run down Twaddell Avenue.

The altercation on Thursday afternoon brought traffic in the area to a standstill.

It is understood the boys had initially boarded a Translink bus in the grounds of Boys' Model school, however following a dispute, some pupils decided to walk down the Crumlin Road towards their homes in the greater Shankill Road.

They were set up when the reached the republican area of the Ardoyne shops.

Yesterday, the principals of both schools spoke out following the attack.

In a joint statement, Mary Montgormey, principal of Belfast Boys' Model School and Paul Berne, principal of Edmund Rice College, said they were "extremely shocked and disappointed by what has happened and are working closely to ensure that all boys remain safe, as they travel to and from school".

"The work of both schools will remain focussed on building positive relationships through the many cross community projects with which both school are involved. Both principals expressed their concern for the injured pupil and wish him a speedy recovery".

DUP councillor Brian Kingston said questions needed to be asked about "how this occurred and what can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future".

"At least one Boys' Model pupil was assaulted in a sectarian hate crime when walking down the Crumlin Road, close to Ardoyne shops, and other young pupils had to flee from the scene having been threatened, running through cars on the Crumlin Road to the safety of Twaddell Avenue," he said.

"One of those attacked was the son of our colleague Alderman Frank McCoubrey. He took his son for treatment for bruising and swelling at the Mater Hospital yesterday evening and again at his doctor’s this morning.

"We would appeal for information to be brought forward to the police to help them identify the person or persons responsible for this attack on Protestant school boys purely because of their perceived religion".

Police confirmed they were treating the incident as a "sectarian hate crime".

Chief Inspector Kelly Moore appealed to "parents and guardians to speak to their children and young people about the dangers and consequences of getting involved in this kind of incident".

"Young people also need to take personal responsibility for their actions and must understand the huge impact that a conviction for criminal behaviour can have," she said.

"Local policing teams will be paying particular attention to the area at key times over the coming days and we will continue to liaise with local schools, partners and transport providers to address this issue".

A Translink spokesman said it was investigating "the circumstances surrounding this incident".

SDLP councillor Paul McCusker described what had happened as a "very worrying situation".

"Today I have been liaising with schools, youth providers and reps from the unionist community and have called for a meeting on Monday night at the Houben Centre to discuss how we can resolve this," he said.

"All summer it’s been unsettled on the interfaces and we need now to send a clear message to those young people involved that no one supports this and if caught it could impact on your future".

On Twitter, Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry Kelly said he wished the "Boys Model pupil who was hospitalised, a speedy recovery and to say that all children and youths must be able to go and come from school safe from fear of intimidation and physical attack irrespective of their place of education or route home".