LONDON, June 17 (RIA Novosti) - U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has condemned a series of racist attacks on Romanians in Belfast that forced over 100 people, including a newborn baby, to hide in a church.
"I hope that the authorities are able to take all the action that's necessary," Brown told parliament on Wednesday.
Over 100 Romanian men, women and children spent Tuesday night in a church hall after attacks on their homes in southern Belfast. They have been moved to a leisure center, and have been provided with food and bedding by volunteers.
Local police official Chris Noble said the attacks were acts of spontaneous violence by a group of young men, and were not part of a wider organized racist campaign.
Many of the families have said they now intend to leave Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said after meeting with the families that the attacks were a "totally shameful episode".
"We need a collective effort to face down these criminals in society who are quite clearly intent on preying on vulnerable women and children," he told reporters.
