Fountain Youth Club attacked

While the youth club refused to erect bars throughout the worst of the Troubles, youth leader Jeanette Warke said yesterday she was extremely concerned at the latest attack, as the attackers had abandoned their usual missiles – paint bombs – in favour of more dangerous petrol bombs.

Branding the attackers "hoods", Mrs Warke, whose late husband David set up the club 37 years ago, yesterday asked them to meet her, saying: "I would love them to come and talk to me, and tell me what the hell they think they are doing.

"I want to talk to them. Is it because they have nowhere to go themselves? Maybe I can help them set something up."

However she said she accepted the attack in which four petrol bombs were thrown was motivated by sectarianism, saying: "It's sectarianism, pure and simple, by people who can do no good for the people of this town."

The attack occurred sometime between Monday evening and yesterday morning, when the damage was discovered as youth worker, Graham Warke arrived to collect post from the youth club.

Mrs Warke, who is incapacitated after her leg was put in a cast when she fell on ice at the weekend said she was more concerned about this attack than any previous incident.

The club has frequently been targeted by sectarian gangs, but in the past only paint bombs have been hurled at it.

Mrs Warke said only scorch and paint damage had been caused this time, but that the arsonists appeared to have tried to hurl the petrol bombs through windows so they could burn down the hall.

She added: "We have so much cross-border work and cross-community work going on here - what more signals can we send out about the work we are doing? Words fail me as to why people would want to do this. I genuinely am concerned about this. I would love to talk to the people who did this to ask them what their problem is with the youth club. I want to sit down and talk to these hoods and ask them why they are doing it. Are they not fitting in themselves? Have they nowhere to go to themselves?

"Why is there a small minority of people who will do this, who seem to have such a gripe against the Fountain and against its young people, that they target the only building in the Fountain that offers them something?"

She added that the fact petrol bombs were used, was forcing her to reconsider how the club is protected.

"My husband David said we would never have a cage on the youth club, but I am having to consider doing that now, to protect the windows. These people seem to have been trying to get the petrol bombs through the windows and that worries me."

Police said a petrol bomb was also thrown at a house in nearby Aubrey Street.

Foyle MP Mark Durkan said: "This was an appalling attack, carried out by arsonists without any consideration for the people who use the Fountain Youth Club for a number of very important community functions."

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Bishop Ken Good said: "The Fountain Youth Club does much valued work in its local community. Those who lead it, as well as its members, are to be commended for the constructive role they play within the Fountain estate. This attack on a work that is for the good of the community is to be deplored.

"The use of petrol bombs has the potential for serious damage to property. Much more seriously it endangers life. Every part of the community is committed to peace and safety for all and will stand against this attack."

Sinn Fin councillor, Patricia Logue said: "We cannot allow these sorts of senseless actions to occur in this day and age nor be used to heighten tensions in and around the greater Bishop Street/Fountain area, which is something no one wants."