“They are picking on me because of the colour of my skin” – Nigerian man laments racist attacks on his car and home in UK

A Nigerian man in South Belfast, Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom, has said he is living in fear after a spate of racist attacks on his property.

Larry Wisdom’s car and apartment in the Belvoir area have been targeted multiple times over an eight-month period, including windows being smashed.

He said a rock was thrown at his living room window and the windscreens and side windows of his car were also damaged.

In other incidents, a nail was pierced through a tyre and the bodywork of his vehicle was scratched.

Police are investigating the attacks at Downhill Avenue as race-motivated hate crimes.

Speaking to BelfastLive, the 51-year-old, who suffers from fibromyalgia and depression, said the series of attacks follows his car being set alight in the same area several years ago.

“They are picking on me because of the colour of my skin. I’m living in fear and I don’t know who is doing these things to me. I won’t lie to you – I’m really, really tired. I told them (the police) I’m fearing for my life,” he said. 

He added: “I just feel it’s just a racial attack because all the other cars there, no one has ever been damaged.”

Mr Wisdom, originally from Nigeria, travelled to the Irish Republic around 2000 and moved to Northern Ireland in 2016.

He criticised the Police’s response to the criminal damage, saying that police were “not doing much at all”

“I just want to know who the person is so I can be careful from then. Whenever I’m walking down the street I’m looking left and right.”

Police said they are investigating five reports of criminal damage to a vehicle over an eight-month period, with incidents ranging from scratches on car bodywork to windows being smashed.

They said a house window was also reported broken overnight on May 30.

Earlier this month in the most recently reported incident, a man wearing dark clothing with his hood pulled up was observed breaking the back passenger-side window of the car with a blunt item before leaving the scene.

The incident, which is also being treated as a hate crime, happened on June 6.

Inspector Tori Anderson said: “There is no place for hate and we take reports of this nature incredibly seriously. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to ensure that we live in a society where diversity is respected. If you or someone you know is the victim of a hate crime please contact us on 101. Our officers are here to help you and can make sure you get access to the support you need.”

Police appealed for anyone with information to phone them on 101. The reference number for the most recent incident is 1212 08/06/23.