Emergency accommodation for evicted Romanians
Around 20 Romanians were being housed in emergency accommodation on Tuesday night after being evicted from a house in south Belfast.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
It is understood the Roma people, some of whom had recently returned to the city after fleeing earlier in the summer in the wake of a spate of racist attacks, were asked to leave the property in the university area after a dispute with a landlord.
Social services and the police were involved in efforts to find them temporary lodgings for the night
More than 100 Romanians left Northern Ireland in June after racists targeted their south Belfast homes. After a period back in eastern Europe, a number of them returned to the city.
A police spokesman said officers had been at the property since early afternoon after being called to assist in a civil matter. He said police were trying to establish if any criminal offence had been committed.
South Belfast Assembly member Anna Lo said the incident was unfortunate.
"I would urge these people to co-operate with the police and social services to find themselves suitable alternative accommodation as soon as possible," she said.
© Press Association