POLICE say they are treating a weekend assault on two youths in north Belfast as a "sectarian motivated hate crime".
Two Protestant boys aged 12 and 13 were attacked on Sunday as they made their way to Burger King at Yorkgate.
The eldest of the two, who is understood to be from Ballysillan, was reportedly punched by one of three older teenagers at around 4.30pm.
According to DUP MLA Brian Kingston, the younger boy, who comes from the Westlands estate, ended up on the hard shoulder of the M2 after fleeing from the gang.
The North Belfast representative said the teenagers responsible left in the direction of nearby New Lodge and that the pair were lucky to escape relatively unscathed.
“One of them has a sore head, but there’s no sign of serious injury and he hasn’t gone to hospital,” he said.
Earlier this month, 13-year-old was treated for facial injuries after being attacked in the KFC restaurant in Brougham Street in north Belfast.
A PSNI spokesperson appealed for information about Sunday's assault.
"Enquiries are continuing and at this stage, the incident is being treated as a sectarian motivated hate crime," the spokesperson said.
