Fire causes ‘significant damage’ to former gospel hall in Belfast
Social media disinformation is to blame for a racially-motivated arson attack on a former gospel hall on Belfast’s Shankill Road, a DUP MLA has said.The gospel hall has been empty for five years, but there were plans to open an Indian supermarket in the building.Speaking after a fire broke out at a former gospel hall early on Saturday morning, Brian Kingston said those behind the misinformation “bear considerable responsibility for what has occurred”. The fire service arrived at the scene of the fire just after 2.45am.Firefighters forced entry into the building, and a drone and jets were also used to tackle the blaze.The fire service confirmed that the fire had been caused by “deliberate ignition” to the roof and the building had been “totally gutted” by the blaze. No injuries were reported.A PSNI spokesperson said: “This out-of-use building had been bought by legitimate business people who would have brought jobs to the local community and, as with any crime motivated by hate, we will be providing them with an enhanced level of supervision, investigation and support.“As a Police Service, we do not underestimate the impact hate-related crimes have on victims, their families and wider communities.“While we have a key role to play in tackling, preventing and supporting victims of hate incidents and hate crimes, this is a wider societal issue which cannot be resolved by policing alone.“We continue to work closely with our statutory and voluntary partner agencies and the local community to find solutions.”Damage to the roof Mr Kingston described the attack as “appalling”. “This is an appalling crime, which the police are treating as arson, and as having a race hate motive,” he told The Irish News.“Sadly this Gospel Hall closed five years ago and no-one has taken it on since. “It was purchased by Indian couple who had lived in London for many years and now live in Northern Ireland and they wish to turn it into a supermarket specialising in Indian foods, vegetables, rices and spices, but not meat.”He continued: “There has been misinformation deliberately spread on social media and stirring up opposition. Those behind that misinformation bear considerable responsibility for what has occurred. I urge anyone having information about this apparent arson attack to bring that forward to the PSNI.“Whatever concerns people have they should raise with the community or elected representatives.“There are many people working on the regeneration of the Shankill Road, to bring derelict buildings back into use and to maintain the ribbon shops along the road. To have a former church building and future shop burned totally undermines that work and is setting back progress.”He added: “I have been liaising today with the owner and with statutory agencies, the PSNI, Belfast City Council and the Housing Executive to have the building secured and I appeal for no further incidents.”Meanwhile, other politicians have also strongly condemned the attack. Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey said: “Targeting a building because of who owns it is despicable, especially when areas are crying out for jobs and investment.”The damage following a fire in the early hours of this morning at a former gospel hall on the Shankill Road. “There is no place in our society for hate crime, racism, or sectarianism in any form. All political representatives and community leaders should condemn this strongly.”People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the attack is “the direct result of weeks of poison pumped online - cowards warning of an ‘influx of people’ and sneering at ‘foreign food.’ That bile has now ended in arson.“Racism puts food on nobody’s table. It only ever keeps working people divided.”SDLP North Belfast Councillor Carl Whyte also condemned the arson when visiting the site of the attack on Saturday. “This is not the first time this business has been subjected to racist intimidation, and it is shameful that the situation has escalated to this point.“The owners and staff were providing a service to the community and have much more to offer than those who have targeted their business.
