MINISTER FOR Foreign Affair Simon Coveney was today evacuated from a peace-building event in Northern Ireland as a result of a bomb scare.
He was giving a peace-building talk at the Houben Centre on the Crumlin Road when a van was reportedly hijacked and driven to the venue.
UTV reports that a canister was placed in the back and the driver was told to go to the centre where the van was left abandoned in the grounds of the Holy Cross Church where the centre is also located.
Tweeting after the incident, Coveney said he was "saddened and frustrated that someone has been attacked & victimised in this way and my thoughts are with him and his family."
In Belfast with @Humefoundation to honour John & Pat’s legacy of peace for all communities. Saddened & frustrated that someone has been attacked & victimised in this way and my thoughts are with him & his family. My thanks to @PoliceServiceNI https://t.co/bs9LvTKBHW
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 25, 2022
Mid-speech the minister was pulled out of by security. He told those in attendance he had to leave and hoped to return in a few minutes.
The event was organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation, and was part of a series of conversations to discuss how to enhance relationships in Northern Ireland, across the island and with the rest of the UK.
The PSNI have confirmed the incident and have advised motorists to avoid the area and to seek alternative main routes for their journey.
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane called the attack on the event "disgraceful".
"Those behind the van hijacking which was left on church grounds have no place in society. While they try to bring back the past, we will keep working for the future," he tweeted.
The attack on an event involving Minister Simon Coveney at North Belfast’s Houben Centre today is disgraceful.
Those behind the van hijacking which was left on church grounds have no place in society.
While they try to bring back the past, we will keep working for the future. pic.twitter.com/4U3tpILDs5— John Finucane MP (@johnfinucane) March 25, 2022
SDLP MP Claire Hanna also told CoolFM that it was "an attack on exactly the people who are trying to drive forward a different approach and a consensus-based approach."
"This approach to politics isn’t wanted and never was wanted and it’s time to get off people’s back," she said.
Colum Eastwood also tweeted his condemnation of the attack, saying these "mindless thugs won't deter the John and Pat Hume Foundation from carrying out their work to further peace."
The Hume Foundation is an organisation dedicated to promoting peace and reconciliation. The attack on them and on @simoncoveney this morning is an attempt to drag us back that will never, ever succeed.
— Colum Eastwood 🇺🇦 (@columeastwood) March 25, 2022
The PSNI have confirmed the incident and have advised motorists to avoid the area and to seek alternative main routes for their journey.
Police are currently in attendance of a security alert at the Crumlin Road area of North Belfast this morning (Friday 25th March).
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternative main routes for their journey. pic.twitter.com/p3ikqdU6NM— Police North Belfast (@PSNIBelfastN) March 25, 2022
It comes just days after the terrorism threat in Northern Ireland was reduced for the first time in twelve years.
