Petrol bombers causing mayhem

Petrol bombers causing mayhem

14 April 2021

A LOCAL politician who was in a car targeted by petrol bombers in Downpatrick last weekend has called for an end to the mayhem which he fears could cost someone their life.

Trouble again flared at the Killough Road last Thursday and Friday, while a waste oil plant at the nearby Brannish Road was targeted by arsonists on Saturday.

It was the second time in six months that Macwaste’s plant had been targeted. In October, firefighters fought to bring a malicious blaze under control.

They were back at the plant last Saturday just before 7pm following reports of a fire in an industrial skip which spread to a nearby metal container.

Fire crews from Downpatrick and Ballynahinch brought the blaze under control within an hour of the alarm being raised.

The fire at the waste oil plant came at the end of three nights of sporadic trouble in the area, with fires started in the middle of the Killough Road which straddles the Model Farm and Flying Horse estates and missiles fired at cars.

It is also understood that police on patrol in the area came across a pile of breeze blocks which were removed, fearing they would have been used as missiles to target passing cars.

Cllr John Trainor — who was a passenger in a car targeted by petrol bombers late on Saturday night — has called for an end to the violence, which, he said, is being perpetrated by teenagers hellbent on causing misery for others.

He believes that a partnership approach involving the local community, statutory agencies and the police is vital in getting on top of an issue which has resulted in a number of residents living in fear and others afraid to venture out at night.

Just before 11.45pm last Saturday, Cllr Trainor was approaching the Model Farm junction when a petrol bomb was hurled at the vehicle by a crowd of up to eight teenagers which included girls and boys. While the missile missed the car, it smashed on the main road and exploded.

“A fire had been lit on the main road and there is just no sense to this kind of activity,” he declared.

“What if an elderly driver had been confronted by a petrol bomb thrown at them and lost control of their vehicle? I have no doubt that last week’s trouble was cleary pre-meditated.

“You just don’t turn up at a housing area and discover petrol bombs. While what happened was clearly planned, it is not reflective of the hard working local people in the area.”

Cllr Trainor said there was “no sense” to this kind of activity and questioned how the teenagers were able to get their hands on petrol bombs.

He said there had been trouble at the Killough Road some years ago and that a targeted approach involving local groups and statutory agencies had made an impact.

“I think we need to go back to this model and there must be community buy-in. It is clear we are talking about a long term commitment as this continued trouble needs to stop. People have had enough and want to be able to live their lives free from the threat of trouble and violence,” continued Cllr Trainor.

“We need a strategy and action plan in tandem with an effective policing policy to deal with this issue and a pledge from partner agencies that they will make a long-term commitment.  A partnership approach is vital moving forward and must include the local community.”

Admitting that he was not shocked nor surprised by the petrol bomb attack, Cllr Trainor said what happened could potentially have had “catastrophic consequences” with the behaviour witnessed over the past number of days at the Killough Road area nothing knew, insisting that it is in no way reflective of of the people who live locally.

“We have a situation where people are not happy and a number are living in fear. Numerous scenarios could potentially have played out last weekend and I am thankful that they didn’t. The the fire in the road, the arson attack at the waste oil plant and the petrol bomb incident will be roundly condemned and rightly so. But they must not be allowed to continue, that is why a strategy to deal with the issue involving all stakeholders is vital.”

Cllr Trainor added: “We simply cannot have a situation where violence is prevalent in a part of Downpatrick where people are trying to get on with their lives. They do not need this. Throwing petrol bombs is not entertainment, it is criminality. Anti-social behaviour is often a symptom of other issues in people’s lives which have to be tackled.”

Agreeing that the recent trouble is not reflective of the wider community, Cllr Oonagh Hanlon revealed that she witnessed some of the incidents including the malicious fires.

She said it appeared that the blaze at the Macwaste plant was started deliberately and was “extremely concerning” given that the business was targeted last October.

“Considering the highly flammable material stored at the Brannish Road site, it is a miracle that no one was seriously injured,” she declared.

“Credit to our local firefighters who ensured that the fire did not spread. It is extremely frustrating that emergency services are being distracted from what could be more serious incidents and emergencies. We also had reports of petrol bombs being thrown at cars passing through the area last week.”

Cllr Hanlon added: “It is hugely disappointing and frustrating that this type of behaviour continues in this area. Do the perpetrators of these crimes realise the impact of their actions?

“I would appeal to anyone with information about what happened and those involved to provide it to the authorities and ask the community to continue to report suspicious behaviour as people are fed up with the actions of a small minority. This trouble must stop.”