US minister attacked in Strabane

Published Friday, 14 September 2012

A Methodist minister from the USA has told UTV of how he was violently assaulted in his new hometown Strabane in an unprovoked attack.

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Reverend Richard Bryant was attacked in an alleyway close to his new church in the town centre earlier this week.

He was walking through the alleyway, approaching a gang of teenagers, when he was struck on the head from behind.

The minister fell to the ground.

It happened in broad daylight on Monday morning - yet no-one came to his aid.

Rev Bryant said the attack left him feeling pretty shaken, upset and angry.

"Onlookers who were on the street behind me could have called [to my aid] and called the police, or done something to help me, or pull me back, or stop one of these kids, ask their name or something like that.

"That didn't happen," he added.

The minister doesn't believe the attack was sectarian and says he bears no ill feeling to his attacker.

"I offer my love and forgiveness," he added.

The minister and his family only moved from America to the Co Tyrone town just over two months ago.

Police have arrested no-one to date over the attack and are appealing for information.

They are treating the incident as an unprovoked, vicious attack.

Comments

5 Comments

james in strabane wrote (243 days ago):

Would you ever give over about media attention? As a Catholic from Strabane I completely condemn the attack but because it has a lower profile than other sectarian acts, is not a reason to feel that protestants are getting a harder time.

Aimee in Strabane wrote (243 days ago):

I highly doubt this was a sectarian attack and being from Strabane myself i know what those apparent "scumbags" are like. Not everyone here is like that, there are people all around the world getting attacked and just because its happened TWICE in one town doesn't mean its much different anywhere else. Personally i think its outrageous but it shouldn't be front page news all over the world, incidents like this happen every day and life goes on. There's not much anyone can do about it so they're is no need to be bad mouthing Strabane people.

Concerned citizen in Banbridge wrote (248 days ago):

How different the media can portray events. A loyal order parade passes a Roman Catholic chapel - and how sectarian and evil these Protestants are! The local priest watches and listens intently - no injuries !!! This week a Protestant clergyman is assaulted in a 85% plus Roman Catholic inhabited town and there is no reported condemnation from RC church or clergy or signs of support from the public. How different!!!!!

Stephen in Belfast wrote (249 days ago):

I'd say if this was a catholic priest attacked by a gang of youths in Ballymena or Carrickfergus UTV would be giving this story a much higher profile. Once again, double standards when reporting on sectarianism in Northern Ireland.

Acknow in Philadelphia PA wrote (249 days ago):

First an Asian man now an American man. Again absolute scumbags.