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La sfida tra Irlanda del Nord Polonia, incontro di qualificazione alla prossima Coppa del Mondo di calcio in programma in Sud Africa, rischia di essere ricordata a lungo come un grave caso diplomatico  cagionato da episodi di violenza accaduti prima, durante e dopo una partita. Un gruppo di hooligans polacchi, infatti, causò una rissa in un pub, devastato, determinando, poi, la dura reazione dei fans locali culminata nel lancio di bottiglie molotov verso la polizia che proteggeva i fans polacchi all’ interno del loro settore anche ben dopo il triplice fischio finale. La vittoria della squadra di casa, complice il portiere biancorosso Boruc autore di un clamoroso svarione, non ha , però, pacificato gli animi di alcune frange della tifoseria locale, così diversi cittadini della Polonia e dell’ est europeo residenti a Belfast avrebbero finito per diventare bersaglio di plurime aggressioni anche nelle giornate successive. In relazione a tali fatti, condannati all’ unisono dalle forze politiche sia protestanti che cattoliche, un giovane di ventuno anni è stato tratto in arresto. Anche la popolazione di alcune aree di Belfast , però, si sente vittima, seppure in modo indiretto, dei fatti ed alza la voce per difendere la reputazione delle aree in cui vive, ritenendo del tutto eccessiva l’ eco che i tabloids riservano ad episodi di violenza che, a loro dire, accadrebbero anche altrove e sarebbero strumentalmente amplificati. Quello che è certo che le gesta provocatorie degli hooligans polacchi stanno ricadendo pesantemente sui loro connazionali che vivono e lavorano nelle Sei Contee. Il Governo, nelle settimane scorse, aveva anche stanziato fondi straordinari per organizzare momenti di riappacificazione tra la comunità protestante e gli immigrati polacchi ed analoghe iniziative erano state auspicate anche nei quartieri cattolici.

Man held over NI ‘racist’ attack
Irish Times
19 April 2009
DAN KEENAN

“Police have arrested a 21-year-old man following a racist attack on the home of four Hungarian women in south Belfast.
A front door was forced by a gang of men and windows smashed in the attack which was carried out in the Village area off the Donegall Road area last night.
None of the women was hurt but there are said to have been very shaken by the attack.
A witness told the BBC said the attack was followed by intimidation.
“There were 30 fellas staring threateningly just to make sure these poor people left,” he said. “Thirty fellas baying for blood.”
The incident follows other racist trouble which led to 11 families moving from their homes last month following racist intimidation linked to a soccer match between Northern Ireland and Poland.
The PSNI said yesterday (Fri) its officers are “determined to bring all of those responsible for this despicable attack before the courts”.
The police would be “robustly pursuing the investigation”.

“We take racially motivated incidents very seriously and have made it a priority to bring those responsible to justice.
Neighbourhood officers will continue to work with community representatives and partner agencies in the area to dispel tensions and promote better relations to help ensure that everyone can live together peacefully.” The attack was condemned by local politicians from all parties.
South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell said Dr. McDonnell said: “These women have been though a terrifying ordeal and my thoughts are with them.
The gang who forced their way into the home of these four women are nothing but a group of cowardly racist thugs. Their mentality is to be hostile and aggressive to anyone not the same as themselves.”
Sinn Féin Assembly member Alex Maskey said: “I have recently spoken with a number of people from this area and it is clear that such racist attacks and attitudes do not have the support of the majority of the community.
“Political and community representatives have a duty to make it clear that racism has no place in the community. I would call upon all community and political representatives to unite in support of foreign nationals who live in our community”.
Alliance Assembly member Anna Lo said: “This attack is totally inexcusable. It was a shocking attack on four innocent women who have done nothing wrong except to be from another country.
“I am especially disappointed that this has happened as there has been such good work done in the area to promote good relations by community groups. We must now redouble our efforts to ease tensions in the area.
“People can not use the recent football hooliganism as an excuse to attack these women or any other foreign national.”
DUP councillor Chris Stalford said: “There are an awful lot of people who have come to Northern Ireland for a new life and to make a contribution to our society.”

Village residents say racism claims are unfounded
Belfast Newsletter
20 April 2009

“PEOPLE in the Village area of Belfast have strongly rejected “media smears” which brand it a racist area where foreigners are not welcome.
Billy Dickson, of the Blackstaff Community Development Association, says even apparently racist incidents outside the Village are being reported as having occurred inside the area and adds there are plenty of examples of foreigners being made welcome by the community.
He also said recent violence which the PSNI said was instigated by Polish football hooligans was being used to attack the area’s reputation.
His statement followed the arrest of a 21-year-old man after the home of a Hungarian family was damaged in the Donegall Road area on Thursday night.
Mr Dickson said the attack on the home of Hungarian nationals was reported “constantly” in the media as having happened in the Village area. “But in fact, the Blackstaff Community Development Association would like to make it clear that the incident happened in what is known as Middle Donegall Road and not the Village.
“Unfortunately, the area has been smeared as a racist community where foreigners are not welcome, but we could give many examples to prove that this is simply not the case. There are those within the community who are racist but no more than can be said for any other area in Belfast.”
Mr Dickson said that while the area did have some racist people, this was no more than any other other part of the city. The key difference was that there was a higher proportion of foreign nationals living there, he said.
Mr Dickson said the majority of incidents in the Donegall Road area following the match between Northern Ireland and Poland happened because both the match and the violence provoked by Polish football hooligans took place in that area.

The PSNI and Polish community explicitly blamed football thugs travelling from Poland for deliberately provoking violence in the area.
“It is completely wrong to smear the area as racist,” he said. “The PSNI have already made it clear that the trouble was started by Polish fans who came to Northern Ireland simply to cause trouble.”
Mr Dickson said the media often got its geography of the area wrong when reporting news items “in the Village”.
“People of the Donegall Road understand that the Village is generally believed to be all the streets connected to Lower Broadway and part of the Blackstaff Ward,” he said. “This might not seem important to those living outside the area, but it is very important to all who live in the Village. It’s about time the press and everyone else stopped using the Village name when referring to any incident in the greater Donegall Road area.”
UUP councillor Bob Stoker said he wholeheartedly agreed with the views expressed by Mr Dickson”