“Attacks on Dove house are wrong,” Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly has said.
He was speaking after several hundred people turned out yesterday afternoon to show solidarity with the much-used resource centre in Derry's Bogside which was targeted on two occasions during the week by petrol bombers.
Residents in the area fear if such attacks continue it is “only a matter of time” before someone is killed or seriously injured.
A “small minority” of young people are blamed for the attacks with Deputy First Minister, Sinn Fein Foyle MLA Martin McGuinness, claiming “some of whom are being manipulated by dissident elements.”
Pointing out local youths extinguished the fire started by the petrol bomb attack on Thursday night, Cllr Donnelly (pictured) said: “Attacks on Dove House are wrong.
“It supplies a valuable service to members of our community.
“If there are issues then they need to be resolved through dialogue.
“Staff should not have to suffer intimidation.
“These attacks are also being used by those with a political agenda to further their criminalisation campaign on the youth of the Bogside.
“Young people in the area should use their influence to convince those behind these attacks that they are detrimental.”
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