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Wednesday, 05 August 2009

Roma families return after attacks

A number of Romanians who fled Belfast in the wake of racist attacks have returned to Northern Ireland.

Around a dozen men have reportedly arrived back in Belfast, with plans for their families to follow afterwards.

Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long said the decision to return was "a vote of confidence in the city".

"This is a very positive development," she added.

"The incident portrayed Belfast in a very negative light but I think the response of the people of Belfast in the aftermath showed a very different side to the city and gave the Roma families a lot of hope and confidence to return."

More than 100 people from the Roma community flew back to Romania in June after racists targeted their homes in south Belfast.

They were forced to seek refuge in a church and a leisure centre before the government offered them emergency accommodation.

The Executive paid to fly to Eastern Europe families who felt too frightened to remain in Northern Ireland.

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9 Comments

At 10:23 on 07 August 2009, william wrote:

So they have had a holiday at the British tax payers expense! Not so stupid as one might think. If the system allows this type of behaviour, why not use it?

At 23:36 on 06 August 2009, Jim Robinson wrote:

I noticed the uprise in begging in Belfast city centre

At 22:39 on 06 August 2009, paula wrote:

EXCELLENT point heather if i "escaped" from somewhere awful it would take me slightly longer than 6 weeks to return!!!

At 22:20 on 06 August 2009, doirecormac wrote:

I too wonder why they are coming back here but not for the lame, tired, shameful reasons listed by the previous posters; rather I ask why would they want to with people like that already living here? They are as entitled to come and live here just as you are entitled to go and live elsewhere in the EU. Based on your obviously narrow-minded policies, should all British and Irish people who live in Spain, France, Italy etc be sent home also? What about the tens of thousands of illegal Irish and British who overstayed their visas in the USA - should they be alllowed to stay or be sent home? Shame on you and others who think like you.

At 18:42 on 06 August 2009, peter boyle wrote:

Just in time to get the free school runs, uniforms and a proper education after a nice relaxing warm summer in Romania.Again the do gooders will support them and the rest of us fools will keep them warm over the winter.We should loof after our own first ie the northern Irish people living on the streets.

At 12:45 on 06 August 2009, Dave wrote:

I hope they have been told they have to repay the air fare and the cash they were given when they left. If they have money to come back after there holidays they must have had money six weeks ago to to home, so way did they get free air tickets and a hundred pounds cash each?

At 12:20 on 06 August 2009, Paul wrote:

Our councils and goverments are run by fools.