Editorial: ​Disturbing attack on hotel workers amid Halloween festivities in Londonderry

​​The sending of a bomb to a Londonderry hotel was a reckless and disturbing attack on ordinary workers in the middle of a time of celebration in the city.

There has been speculation from local political representatives that the attack was carried out by dissident republicans because the Ebrington Square venue held a jobs fair which included the Royal Air Force, but police have yet to ascribe any potential motive.

Confirmation by the PSNI that the device – delivered in a parcel to the Ebrington Hotel – was “viable” rather than a hoax is deeply concerning.

It shows that the terrorists involved have no regard for local workers or visitors to the city, so blinded are they by their warped ideology.

It comes as the Maiden City celebrates its 40th annual Halloween parade, said to be the largest in Europe. Tens of thousands will attend the festivities, many of them from outside Northern Ireland.

The event has grown over the decades to become one of the province’s biggest annual events, drawing in people from all backgrounds in a fantastic carnival atmosphere.

The timing of the bomb attack no doubt had this in mind, with those behind it keen to undermine the progress the city and the province has made.

It will not do that, but it is yet another worrying reminder that these people have not gone away. They can only be dealt with by people standing up against them, and supporting the police in their efforts to dismantle their criminal networks.

While this attack will undoubtedly grab the headlines for a few days, the vast majority of people both here and internationally will see Northern Ireland’s second city in the headlines for all the right reasons as the Halloween celebrations take place throughout the week.