Concern has been expressed after figures showed there have been more than 600 attacks on places of worship in Northern Ireland in the last five years.

According to police statistics, there have been 601 incidents of criminal damage to religious buildings, churchyards or cemeteries since 2014/15.

The number of attacks has remained relatively consistent each year, with 136 in 2014/15, 128 in 2015/16, 118 in 2016/17, 115 in 2017/18 and 104 in 2018/19.

Most of the incidents took place in Belfast (173), followed by Lisburn and Castlereagh (60), Newry, Mourne and Down (58) and Ards and North Down (57).

Most recently, St Saviour’s Church in Craigavon suffered an arson attack in July, while Brantry Parish Church in Co Tyrone was attacked, with a window smashed and damage caused to the interior, in April.

Both the Belfast Synagogue and Belfast Islamic Centre have suffered property damage in the last 10 years.

The figures were uncovered by Christian Action Research & Education (Care NI) following a Freedom of Information request.

The Christian charity has called on the Stormont Executive to consider policies to ensure that places of worship are properly protected.

It has previously called for a Places of Worship: Protective Security Funding Scheme to be set up, mirroring a similar scheme available in England and Wales.

The Scottish Government has announced it is introducing a similar scheme there, leaving Northern Ireland as the only part of the United Kingdom without such a scheme.

Rev Aaron McAlister, rector of Derriaghy Parish Church, saw his church broken into and vandalised in 2019.

He said significant damage was caused to the vestry and sanctuary.

“The individuals concerned managed to get in behind our organ while searching for valuables, but fortunately there was nothing to take,” he said.

“It left many of my parishioners deeply upset. An attack on a place of worship is an attack on the community that worships there.

“Rather than getting on with serving our community, we have had to spend valuable hours repairing the damage caused.

“I would support additional government measures to protect places of worship. Action to prevent attacks happening to other faith communities would be hugely welcome.”

Care NI policy officer Mark Baillie said churches are being attacked with “alarming regularity”, adding that it makes sense to consider introducing a security fund.

“More than 600 attacks in the last five years is a reminder that places of worship, which should be safe spaces for worshippers and congregants, are all too often targeted by vandalism and violence,” he said.

“The gradual easing of lockdown will surely only increase the opportunity and risk of further attacks and therefore it’s important MLAs take action.

“Last year, following Care NI’s previous research into this issue, we wrote to the party leaders asking for a manifesto commitment to create a security fund.

“We had positive engagement with a number of political parties and we are today calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to take this up.”

He added: “The scheme in England and Wales is a practical step we could introduce here to equip places of worship to invest in adequate security to prevent criminal damage.

“In a free and democratic society, no-one should be afraid of gathering together with those who share their faith in a place of worship.”

Silences in memory of key workers who have lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic have been held across Northern Ireland.

The acts of tribute were particularly poignant in hospitals where health workers thought of fallen colleagues.

More than 100 healthcare staff have died with Covid-19, including Pat McManus, 60, a nurse from Co Tyrone who had been working in a Staffordshire hospital.

From the Assembly chamber at Stormont to hospitals across the region, the minute of silence was observed.

Socially distanced staff lined the roads at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh and Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry while there were gatherings outside the Belfast City Hospital, which houses the region’s Nightingale facility.

At the Mater Infirmorum Hospital in Belfast, doctors, nurses and support staff gathered briefly in the atrium to pay tribute to fallen frontline workers.

There was a burst of spontaneous applause as the minute ended before staff swiftly returned to their posts.

Across the city at the Ulster Hospital, senior nurse Roisin Devlin was among those who took part in the tribute, and described it as “very poignant”.

She said staff gathered in a communal area of the ward to allow everyone to show their respect and patients to join to “remember the dead and highlight that they will never just be a number, but a much-loved member of staff”.

“In healthcare, teamwork is so important and when you lose a member of that team, it is like losing a family member,” she told the PA news agency.

“My thoughts will be with the families of those who died, but also with their work colleagues who need to continue working, knowing a member of their team is no longer there.

“Staff feel very strongly that we should all honour those who lost their lives by carrying out the minute’s silence so we will be forming a guard of honour in the ED (emergency department) along the corridor to show solidarity with our colleagues.”

Sometimes, many of us forget about Northern Ireland and the social dynamics that make up this part of the United Kingdom. Recently Northern Ireland has been in the news for a series of racist attacks in South and East Belfast, by the Ulster Group – the Ulster Volunteer Force.

A Muslim woman reported into us last week on the intimidation that sections of the Muslim community are receiving, including death threats from what seem to be, people associated with a Loyalist group.

Last year, Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers were held by the local Muslim community in Belfast. Worshippers had to be evacuated due to a hoax fire alarm and online threats to worshippers were also made. This year, the local Muslim community held official prayers in the town of Lisburn and within the large Lisburn Leisureplex. Plans were made to hold it in the Leisureplex since there was ample parking and it was not near the city centre so that any inconvenience to local residents could be reduced.

Yet, as can be seen by the following comments, threats and anti-Muslim abuse by Loyalists came thick and fast.

The following comment was also made by the Muslim female who reported this material into us. She stated:

“I have been an involved member of the community for over 10 years. I feel it has never been this bad…”

On Wednesday, the former pastor of the largest church in Northern Ireland, James McConnell, will be up in court for his inflammatory comments about Islam. The pastor has not withdrawn his comments and has suggested that he is willing to go to jail, with some stating that he is being persecuted by Muslims for his faith.

Some within Muslim communities are genuinely concerned that Wednesday and the James McConnell case will further inflame tensions. If he is found not guilty, some Muslims feel that it will open the door to possible anti-Muslim hatred and his views being legitimised. If he is convicted, others feel that there will be a backlash against Muslims. Either way, the future for race and faith relations in Northern Ireland certainly does not look healthy.

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