A number of masked men were spotted by police gathering outside a court house in Northern Ireland amid fears of an ongoing ‘UDA feud’. Officers were alerted to the group outside the building on Regent Street in Newtownards in Co Down on Thursday morning.
Police have confirmed that enquiries into the situation are ongoing, Belfast Live reports. This comes amid reports that a number of homes in the county have been attacked in recent nights.
A PSNI spokesperson said: "A number of men, some of whom were masked were noted by police outside Newtownards court house this morning. Police officers present gathered evidence and enquiries are ongoing."
Meanwhile, there has been a large police presence in a number of estates in the town and it is understood that officers have sealed off Weavers Grange. DUP MLA Stephen Dunne has condemned the recent violence in the area.
"There is absolutely no place for this type of activity on our streets. This violence and destruction, which is endangering lives, is totally unrepresentative of our local community, and the area which we are proud to call home," he said.
"Violence and criminality in whatever form it takes, is and always has been wrong and must be unequivocally condemned. I would appeal for calm and urge people to end this violence and criminal behaviour immediately.
"Those responsible must be brought to justice. The PSNI are appealing for information, and I would encourage anyone to contact the PSNI to assist with their ongoing enquiries.”
Elsewhere, Ulster Unionist Party MLA Mike Nesbitt told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster that a three-year-old girl was inside one of the homes when it was attacked and a pensioner had her windows broken in a case of mistaken identity.
"I know nobody was in the house that was petrol bombed in Donaghadee last night but on Tuesday there was a three-year-old girl in the house that was attacked by these criminals," he said.
"And I'm also told that what was described as an elderly woman had her window put in, in a case of mistaken identity.
"That's one of the concerns about taking violence to the streets - that somebody that has nothing to do with drug dealing and criminality will get hurt."
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