A petrol bomb has been thrown at a Catholic pub on the eve of the Twelfth of July.
Eight windows were shattered at Se Og’s Bar in Rasharkin, near Ballymena, after it was pelted with large stone slabs early this morning.
Although police have not yet established a motive for the attack, DUP MLA Mervyn Storey said the incident was a deliberate attempt to stir up tensions in the run up to the Twelfth.
“There can be little doubt that this attack was carried out by people with a vested interest in damaging community relations in the Rasharkin area," he said.
“This was a sinister attempt to heighten tensions in the village ahead of Twelfth of July parade. There are people out there who clearly want to drive communities apart and perpetuate divisions and mistrust.”
Sinn Féin MLA for the area Daithí McKay also condemned the attack.
“This attack could have far reaching implications for Saturday," he said. “I would make an appeal for calm in what is already a tense time, despite this and indeed other acts of provocation across the Six Counties.”
The attack in Rasharkin was one of a spate of incidents across the North ahead of tomorrow’s Twelfth of July celebrations. In Kilrea a window was smashed at the home of a Catholic family in the early hours of this morning and last night windows were broken at the town’s GAA clubhouse.
This follows an attack on the Marian Hall in the town two nights ago and earlier the Orange Hall and the Church of Ireland also had windows broken.
SDLP MLA for East Derry John Dallat urged the community to unite against what he called a common enemy - a small and unrepresentative number of people who’s aim was to stir up sectarian tension. “These attacks are not helpful coming up to the Twelfth and I would appeal to everyone in both communities not to be influenced in any way but to give their undivided support to the police to catch the culprits," he said.
PA