East Londonderry MLA condemns Coleraine racially motivated arson attack as 'completely unacceptable'

The incident occurred at approximately 3am on Friday 13 June, when an oil tank at the rear of a house on Mount Street was deliberately set alight.

While the fire did not spread to the house, it caused damage to the property and filled the interior with smoke. A man, woman, and four young children were inside the home at the time but were able to escape uninjured.

Ms Sugden said: “This was a deliberate attack on a family’s home and it’s completely unacceptable.

"Everyone should feel safe where they live, and no one should be targeted because of who they are. There’s no excuse for this kind of behaviour, it causes fear and tension and has no place in our community.

“The actions of a few must not be allowed to damage the character of the community as a whole,” Ms Sugden added.

“Coleraine is a place where people want to live in peace with their neighbours.

“I would encourage anyone who saw anything suspicious or who has CCTV, dash-cam or other footage from the area to contact the PSNI on 101, quoting reference number 144 of 13/06/25. Reports can also be made online at psni.police.uk/makeareport or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”