The widow of a Catholic man beaten to death by a sectarian gang has appealed for no retaliation for his murder.
Twelve men are now being questioned by police in connection with the killing of Kevin McDaid, 49, in Coleraine on Sunday evening.
The cross community youth worker was targeted by a gang of up to 40 men who entered a mainly Catholic housing estate following matches involving Rangers and Celtic.
His wife Evelyn, a Protestant who sustained serious head injuries when she tried to save him, said he would not want to see any more violence.
"He wouldn't want retaliation for it," she said.
"He wouldn't want my sons to get hurt, he wouldn't want this."
"He was trying to keep the peace, he didn't want all this - the nonsense that's been going on here for years and years. He wanted peace."
Mr McDaid, a former plasterer, had three sons and a foster son.
'Soulmate'
His widow said the family's life had been shattered.
"My life's over," she said. "A big part of me is missing now."
"He was my soulmate and now that's finished. I have to try to go on for the wee foster boy and my other three sons. I have to try and go on but I've lost a very big part of me and I can never replace that, never ever."
Mrs McDaid said the attackers claimed they were from the UDA as they beat her and her husband.
"He went down to see if his son was all right and he got badly beaten," she said.
"UDA, they called themselves the UDA. I went across to help him and they beat me while they beat him. And then my neighbour had to step in to save me and she was pregnant and they beat her too and she shouted 'I'm pregnant' and they didn't care."
She added: "It was all to do with religion, and I'm not even a Catholic. I am a Protestant, it's a mixed marriage, but they just seem to hate us so much."
UDA statement
The political representatives of the UDA issued a statement strongly condemning the murder.
"The Ulster Political Research Group utterly condemns the murder of Mr McDaid and those who would seek to cause community tensions," it stated.
"There can be no justification for taking a life; there can be no reason or excuse.
"We understand that community tensions in the general area have been running high but appeal for calm and common sense to be exercised.
"We must not leave any stone unturned or leave any excuse for those who would seek to take us back to the past, any opportunity to exploit this community for their own ends."
'Unified voice'
Meanwhile, Peter Robinson echoed the condemnation already voiced by Martin McGuinness.
"The brutal murder at the weekend in Coleraine of Kevin McDaid is a blight on society in Northern Ireland," Mr Robinson said.
"At this time the wider McDaid family are in our thoughts and our prayers."
Scheduled business at the Stormont assembly was postponed to allow members an opportunity to pass on condolences to the family.
Sinn Fein junior minister Gerry Kelly said:
"I think this is a time for a unified voice from the chamber to let anyone and everyone who cares to listen know that sectarian attacks are unacceptable and will not be tolerated," he said.
Questions
Mrs McDaid raised questions about the police response to the incident.
"They (the gang) could come into this town and they could do this and where was the police? The police knew this could happen and there was no police. They were fit to come across in cars and walk across them bridges and attack a house down there and they get away with it," she said.
Celtic scarves have been tied on railings and flowers left close to the scene of the savage attack.
Damien Fleming, 46, remains in hospital with serious injuries after being assaulted in nearby Pates Lane during the disturbances.
Meanwhile police are investigating a second attack which may have been carried out in retaliation.
A man, understood to have been wearing a Rangers top, was attacked at about 12.45am on Monday morning in Pates Lane and taken to hospital with a broken jaw.
A police spokesman said investigations into the motive for the attack were continuing.
© Press Association