I speak only English outside my home after racist graffiti, says woman

An Indian woman who has been living in Northern Ireland for 23 years said racist graffiti and anti-social behaviour near her home has forced her to change how she lives her life.

"I'm conscious that when I go outside I don't speak my own language. I only speak in English. I'm not myself. I'm more aware," Annu Keshy said.

In the latest incident, graffiti containing a racially offensive slur was sprayed on a wall inside the Bass Buildings in Belfast.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it received a report on Saturday of criminal damage to an internal wall of a residential building on Alfred Street, adding it is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

"It's understood that a group of youths entered the complex, causing damage to bins and sprayed graffiti on a wall," PSNI Supt Hagan said.

"This is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime and enquiries are ongoing at this time."

Keshy is one of a number of residents who has told BBC News NI that the graffiti has left them feeling angry and afraid.

"Everyone has a right to live. I work. I do good for the society. I do voluntary work as well," she said.

"Everyone should be able to live fearlessly.

"This behaviour doesn't add any value to society, it only makes people afraid. People become timid."

A man who lives in a neighbouring property said his children have been left "completely shaken" by the incident.

He said his two children have been "shattered" by the anti-social behaviour.

He told BBC News NI that the anti-social behaviour started in September with young people entering the apartment block and kicking residents' doors and shouting.

He said he initially treated the incidents as anti-social but following the appearance of racially offensive graffiti, he feels that it has become more sinister.

He lives there with his wife and his two young children. He said it has "shattered" his children.

It has "completely shaken my son and daughter", he said.

"Whenever I ask them to get something from the next room, from the bedroom, they're say 'no, we don't want to walk alone in any of the rooms', because they are very scared.

"It's very scary and very disturbing."

The man says he's now considering leaving Belfast.

"I had a much longer plan for me, for my family, but experiencing such bad situations, bad things like I definitely want to reassess that. I will stay here as long as my job wants," he said.

"But I think I would let my family go back to my home country, because I don't want my family to bear all those sufferings, in spite of paying so much of huge taxes, rent and in return, there is nothing you know you're getting out of it."

He says his wife, who works close by, is "very scared" and has considered leaving her job because of the racist incidents.

Another man, who asked BBC News NI to protect his identify, says the anti-social behaviour and racist graffiti are having an impact on him.

The man, who has lived in Belfast for 18 years, said it has affected his sleep and disturbed his mental peace.

"Purely from a security aspect, it's a bit ridiculous that I have to put a door stopper under my door to prevent somebody from kicking the door open," he said.

"You kind of feel like you feel a bit unimportant; you feel like you're powerless. You feel like nothing is being done."

He said the use of an ethnic slur in the graffiti was "quite disturbing".

"It's sad that people think that this kind of thing can be done, that you can go around intimidating people, you can go around scaring people," he said.

"To see that a minority of people behave in this manner, and intimidate people who just come here to work and live and have a peaceful life, it's a very sad state of affairs."

Ana Chandran is a community advocate and director for projects at the Belfast Asian Women's Academy.

She said the incidents "have created a climate of fear and intimidation for those living in the building".

In a statement, she explained that over the past few months the gang has "repeatedly gained unauthorised access" to the building.

The residents initially complained about the intruders "causing damage and leaving rubbish in communal areas".

However, concerns over those intrusions "escalated significantly" following the discovery of the threatening graffiti.

"The message has caused profound distress among residents, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds, who now fear for their safety in their own homes," Chandran said.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Chandran described the graffiti as a "hate crime" and a "threat to kill".

"People are terrified, people are traumatised, tired. Someone has gone to the extent saying he wants the country," she said.

"The landlords in this building pay rates, tenants in the building work and pay their taxes. We need to live in a secure home, feeling safe and live peacefully," Chandran said.

"The community needs faith in politicians and PSNI that we are safe here."