Minister at Greenisland Church believes multicultural street party was not connected to arson attack

The minister at a Co Antrim church gutted by an arson on Sunday has said she does not believe that racism was behind the attack.

Greenisland Church of Ireland had been celebrating their 70th anniversary last week before the fire, with events including a multi-cultural street party on Saturday alongside members of a charity that supports migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the north Belfast area.

Speaking to the Irish News, Rev’d Dr Isobel Hawthorne-Steele said that despite last month’s rioting and surge in racist attacks in Belfast, she did not think the street party was a factor in why the church was targeted.

“It’s heartbreaking. We’re meeting the police today, we think there may be CCTV footage but we’re not sure,” she said.

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Asked if she suspected any link between the attack and the multi-cultural event the the arson attack the following day, she said: “I wouldn’t think so. The community has not reared its head with any racist or anti-immigration sentiment.

“There’s new people coming in, it’s a mixed community. We’ve had some of the global majority joining our activities on a normal basis such as parents and toddler groups.

“There’s never been a problem with that, it doesn’t enter my head. For me, it’s maybe a prank that’s gone too far.

“It is hard to speculate, I’m just praying that whoever did this will give themselves to the PSNI.

“But we want to reach out in love to them. Whoever it is, it’s ruined their lives. The consequences they will have to face, not only from a legal perspective but also within their community.

“It’s a life changer for them and we want to be there for them.”

The church is one of four on the Station Road, normally a quiet area beside a housing estate and train station.

In the coming days, services for the parishioners will be hosted by the Baptist and Methodist churches while others have offered the use of their buildings.

By Tuesday, a fundraiser for the church had also raised nearly £6,000 towards any future repairs.

Rev Hawthorne-Steele first attended the church as a girl over 60 years ago, maintaining ties until she returned four years ago to serve as minister.

“It’s like a death. You go through the shock, now we’re just going through the reality and the grieving,” she said.

“We’re weeping over our church, but we do see that hope, that light that says our church was not a building, it’s a people.

“Everybody in the community has said ‘that’s our church.’ Even people who don’t normally go, they’ll have had baptisms or marked the loss of their loved ones.

“That’s my own family too, I have so many memories and can grieve with them.

“The sadness is palpable, but the people rallying around and hugging me in the street to say ‘we’ll support this, this is our church.’ That’s lovely.”

A police spokesperson said that efforts were continuing to establish a motive behind the arson attack and identify those responsible.

Anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the area or may have relevant CCTV, doorbell or other footage is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference 1437 of September 1.

Information can also be passed on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.