Lettings agency hit by racially-motivated attack

An agent whose business was rammed by a car believes he was targeted because of claims he was letting homes to asylum seekers.

A car was hijacked in Belfast earlier this week and is reported to have been deliberately driven at the front of the agency; the occupants made off from the scene. 

The Irish News newspaper and website reports a local councillor claiming that some people were angry about housing conditions and rent levels and - in the words of the report - ”asylum seekers are being housed in place of locals.” 

However, the agent denies being responsible for housing conditions or rent levels.

The unnamed agent told The Irish News: “People are pushing these issues to misdirect anger in our community and that is disgraceful. Rumours had been circulating on social media about asylum seekers getting social housing amid concerns from the community around the levels of private sector rents.

“This led to a protest at the premises last week and the owner of the business had reached out because he was keen to quell those rumours and find an amicable solution, but obviously the events overtook us.

“People are getting sucked into this vacuum filled with racial attacks and far-right extremism and this increasing anger and hate will not serve our community.”

A spokesperson from the Police Service of Northern Ireland is quoted as saying:   “Our enquiries into the reports we have received this evening, which we are treating as racially-motivated hate crimes, are ongoing and we would encourage anyone with information to contact us.”