Justice Minister Naomi Long has said: “I totally condemn this deplorable attack on an early morning bus service in Newtownards this morning.
“Spraying the interior of a public bus with liquid and setting it alight will achieve nothing other than spreading fear and causing disruption to much needed services in communities. My thoughts are with the driver and everyone affected by this incident. The risk to public safety was significant. No one going about their business should be subjected to this kind of wanton violence and destruction.
“This criminality has no place in society. This is not the image of Northern Ireland that we want for our citizens. This is not what people who are already dealing with concerns about the pandemic and rising costs need to be waking up to this morning.
“I urge anyone with any information to contact the PSNI.”
Notes to editors:
1. For media enquiries contact the Department of Justice Press Office at press.office@justice-ni.gov.uk
2. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted out of hours on 028 9037 8110.
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