Ulster Unionist Alderman Janice Montgomery has condemned two nights of sectarian violence at the interface between the Irish Street estate and Gobnascale in Londonderry, and appealed for calm.

Ulster Unionist Alderman Janice Montgomery said:

“The scenes at the interface between the Irish Street estate and Gobnascale over the past two nights can only be described as sectarian attacks, and they must stop.

“On Sunday night, youths armed with bricks, bats and golf clubs attacked the homes of elderly residents in Irish Street. Police lines were later attacked with fireworks, masonry and petrol bombs. Throwing a petrol bomb at a police officer is an attempt to take a life, and every officer who stood in that line deserves this community's support.

“An appeal for calm from community representatives in Gobnascale had little effect. On Monday night, youth football teams practising at the Waterside Shared Village were forced to flee the area, and police lines were again attacked with bricks and petrol bombs until officers moved in to disperse those involved.

“Children at football training had to run for safety. Elderly people were left frightened in their own homes. That is the reality behind these incidents, and no cause of any description justifies it.

“This does not happen in a vacuum. When elected representatives at every level break the law themselves, and use language that raises the temperature rather than lowers it, they cannot then be surprised at what follows on the streets. Leadership means the opposite of that.

“I would appeal directly to young people in my own community: do not be drawn into this. Do not retaliate. Anyone who does will end up in court with a criminal record, and they will have given those responsible exactly what they wanted.

“I would ask anyone with information to bring it to the police, and I will continue to work with community representatives on all sides to bring this to an end.”