Stone-throwing youths who broke a window in a Co Antrim house were responding to the cancellation of republican commemorations, police said today.
Last night’s attack on a community worker’s home in Dunclug Park, Ballymena, was linked to removal of bonfire material marking internment in 1971.
A PSNI spokesman said: “Police believe the incident was a reaction by a small number of people in the area to a multi-agency approach to the removal of bonfire material.
“The material had been taken away at the request of resident associations and elected representatives.”
Sinn Féin Assembly member Daithi McKay said previous bonfires had been plagued by anti-social behaviour.
“This year the community association isn’t supporting the bonfire and don’t want it to be held,” he added.
“Those who carried out this attack are nothing but thugs and have done nothing but bring this area down and target innocent people’s homes.
“There have been similar attacks in the last few years during the month of August which have been orchestrated by the same criminal elements.”
Commemorations are held every year in nationalist areas to remember internment.
The authorities swooped in republican communities in August 1971 in response to heightened violence.
They were later accused of indefinitely detaining innocent people without charge, alienating many nationalists and promoting the IRA’s growth.
PA