The Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe said yesterday he was saddened that houses in the Loyalist Fountain Estate close to Derry's Bogside area had been petrol-bombed for three consecutive nights.
Over 20 petrol-bombs were thrown into the estate over the three nights. In the latest incident on Tuesday night, three petrol-bombs were thrown at police officers called to the scene. The windscreen of one police Land-Rover was shattered when it was struck by a ball-bearing fired from a catapult.
Bishop James Mehaffey said the attacks were putting a strain on community relations and were "sending out the wrong message" to Protestants in Derry.
"A petrol-bomb can seriously injure or kill," he said. Not only are the people in the Fountain being affected, but these type of attacks can cause retaliation. It's a kind of natural reaction to retaliate and, as you always find in these situations, innocent people and often elderly people on each side will suffer.
"I totally condemn these attacks and hope they will stop immediately. The Fountain Estate is a little Protestant enclave in the heart of Derry and what happens there is taken as a kind of barometer towards the Protestant community here in general.
"This is a little cramped housing area and there is a terrible feeling that here we are, an isolated little group. There is nothing more frightening than a petrol-bomb being thrown at your house or through your window. "We have worked to stabilise the Fountain Estate, and there is a magnificent new primary school at the heart of it and if people start leaving the school, it will affect the whole community. "We all need to redouble our efforts to try to improve community life in this city. It's a great city to live in, it has great potential, but it can only achieve that potential when we bring all the people of this city together regardless of their politics or their religion," he said.