Party leaders jointly call for Catholic threat to be lifted

Police did not want to speculate about who was behind the threats. Credit: UTV

Northern Ireland’s political leaders have issued a joint statement calling for a threat against a number of Catholic families in south-east Belfast to be lifted.

Four families had to flee their homes in Cantrell Close off the Ravenhill Road last week after being ordered out of the area.

Police are working to establish who was behind the threat, while politicians blamed the UVF.

The leaders of the DUP, Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the UUP, the Alliance Party and the Green Party put out a statement on Monday condemning those responsible, describing the threat as "wrong" and saying it "should be lifted immediately".

It said: “We condemn all forms of sectarianism, intolerance and threats of violence.

“There is also an onus on the PSNI and the statutory agencies to provide immediate and appropriate support to the affected families, including rehousing those affected if they feel unable to remain in their homes.

"This situation runs absolutely contrary to the ethos under which the Cantrell Close development was created.

"Everyone has the right to live in a society without fear of intimidation and free from sectarianism."

It went on: “Those behind this threat offer nothing but hatred and division and should be condemned by all political, community and statutory leaders.”