'I don't know where is safe': Filipino care assistant voices fears after attack on Ballyclare home

The home of a Filipino care assistant in Ballyclare has been attacked in what police are treating as a racially motivated hate crime.

Lani Molina - who only moved to Northern Ireland five months ago - says she is now living in fear for her and her daughter.

"For me to leave this house is not easy because I don't know what areas are safe.

"It is not just Ballyclare - it is happening in many other places.

"I don't want her [daughter] to witness this kind of thing.

"I still want her to develop her thinking that people in Northern Ireland are still good."

It was reported to police that sometime overnight on Tuesday the front window of a house in the Erskine Park area had been smashed and a vehicle parked outside damaged, when a brick was thrown through the windscreen. Chief Inspector Bradley said: “Our enquiries into this incident, which we are treating as a racially motivated hate crime, are ongoing.

"We are also aware of racist graffiti being sprayed on a wall in the area. “We would appeal to anyone with any information in relation to the incident to contact police."

Dr Ramamoorthy Nambi, a doctor at the Causeway Hospital, spoke of his shock at the scenes of disorder in recent days and his concerns for international healthcare staff.

"Obviously, it is very shocking and difficult to believe what is actually happening, because Northern Ireland has always been quite welcoming.

"We all have families, and if our families aren't safe then what is the point in living here?

"That has been reflected by a lot of colleagues I've been speaking to."

The Deputy First Minister condemned the recent violence when she spoke to media at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine on Wednesday, saying those involved in the disorder were 'causing destruction to their own communities'.

She was joined by DUP MP Gregory Campbell, as they met with Northern Trust staff to highlight what they described as 'the important role that overseas health workers play in the running of our Health Service'.

Emma Little-Pengelly said: "Violence is completely wrong, violence and disorder and racism is wrong, and I believe that all of the political parties here will be standing strong on that very clear message.

"We acknowledge that there are genuinely held concerns, particularly around access to public services and housing, but those are issues that we need to address through government and democratic means.

"Nothing is achieved in terms of violence."

The Royal College of Nursing has said international healthcare staff have never been more afraid of working in Northern Ireland. "We know that our overseas nurses already face a lot of racism but they were never so afraid as they are now," said Rita Devlin, the RCN's Northern Ireland Director. "They are afraid to travel, they are afraid to go to work and they are afraid of what will happen on their way to and from work. "Some of them have talked about travelling in their uniforms to actually make it clear they are nurses. "I'd like to think that people would respect nurses and that it wouldn't cause any difficulty for them but I'm not sure that the respect that should be there is there," said Ms Devlin.

On Wednesday, Northern Ireland's Chief Nursing Officer Maria McIlgorm and Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride released a joint statement condemning what they describe as 'deplorable racist behaviour'.

"We are disgusted by the despicable and violent scenes of recent days.

"We are angered that this behaviour has left some of our staff feeling anxious, frightened, and unwelcome.

"We want to reassure those staff that this behaviour is not representative of Northern Ireland, nor the people who live here."

It follows an earlier statement on Tuesday, in which Health Minister Mike Nesbitt reiterated his support for health and social care staff following recent racist attacks and intimidation.

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