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Housing Executive van set on fire and driver threatened in suspected dissident republican arson attack
Fire crews tackle the blaze after a Housing Executive van was set on fire. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
A Housing Executive van has been torched in a suspected dissident republican arson attack in north Belfast.
The vehicle was burned in Jamaica Street on Friday afternoon.
The attack has been linked to the removal of a republican mural in the Ligoniel area this morning.
The Housing Executive said it “utterly condemned” the attack, adding that it was very concerned its workers are being targeted.
Sinn Fein councillor Gerard McCabe said workers should be free from intimidation.
“This attack on a Housing Executive vehicle is totally wrong must be condemned,” he said.
"Workers should be able to go about their business without fear of attack of intimidation.
"The Housing Executive is working in the area at the request of local residents to carry out much needed maintenance to homes.
"Those behind this attack are not representative of the community in north Belfast and have nothing to offer society."
SDLP MLA Alban Maginness blasted the attack as "indefensible".
Fire crews tackle the blaze after a Housing Executive van was set on fire. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
"There can be no justification for the kind of senseless violence that we’ve seen in Ardoyne today as a Housing Executive van was attacked and left burnt out.
"There has been an unacceptable spate of threats and intimidation aimed at public agency staff across Belfast over the last number of days and it cannot continue."
Belfast Telegraph
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