11/10/2007
Segregated School Bussing Demanded
Worried parents have called for segregated bussing to be introduced in north Belfast after a young schoolgirl was assaulted in what appears to be a sectarian attack.
The girl was punched repeatedly in the face simply because she was a Protestant, it was claimed.
Police said the teenage Girls' Model pupil was set upon by a gang of five others females who pulled her to the ground by her hair during the unprovoked attack in the Oldpark Road area.
Detectives said they had not confirmed a motive but added it was "perceived" to be sectarian.
The girl’s mother later called for a safer, dedicated bus to be introduced to take her daughter and fellow state school pupils from their area to the Model School.
DUP councillor Diane Dodds agreed: "There is no doubt that this was a sectarian assault on a vulnerable child who was easily identifiable because of her school uniform."
She called for a review of transport arrangements to ensure pupil safety: "It is intolerable that children are being attacked on their way home from school because of their community background," she added.
"If the PSNI cannot guarantee the safety of these children then the education board must provide adequate transportation to make sure that they get home without harm."
A police spokeswoman said: "The girl was punched a number of times to the face and pulled to the ground by her hair.
"She sustained facial injuries but didn’t require hospital treatment."
(BMcC)
The girl was punched repeatedly in the face simply because she was a Protestant, it was claimed.
Police said the teenage Girls' Model pupil was set upon by a gang of five others females who pulled her to the ground by her hair during the unprovoked attack in the Oldpark Road area.
Detectives said they had not confirmed a motive but added it was "perceived" to be sectarian.
The girl’s mother later called for a safer, dedicated bus to be introduced to take her daughter and fellow state school pupils from their area to the Model School.
DUP councillor Diane Dodds agreed: "There is no doubt that this was a sectarian assault on a vulnerable child who was easily identifiable because of her school uniform."
She called for a review of transport arrangements to ensure pupil safety: "It is intolerable that children are being attacked on their way home from school because of their community background," she added.
"If the PSNI cannot guarantee the safety of these children then the education board must provide adequate transportation to make sure that they get home without harm."
A police spokeswoman said: "The girl was punched a number of times to the face and pulled to the ground by her hair.
"She sustained facial injuries but didn’t require hospital treatment."
(BMcC)
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