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A Newry City councillor has called for a collective effort to tackle rising anti-social behaviour in the area following conversations with residents and businesses affected by recent incidents.
Cllr Mathers said he was deeply concerned by the increase in anti-social behaviour and the impact it is having on local residents, services and organisations. He highlighted a break-in at a local warehouse used to store medical equipment as a particularly alarming incident, noting that facilities of this nature play an essential role in supporting healthcare services and vulnerable residents in the area.
"This criminal activity targeting them is completely unacceptable," Cllr Mathers said. "These actions not only cause financial damage but also risk disrupting access to equipment that people rely upon for their health and wellbeing as well as threatening the very service with the potential of these facilities being moved out of Newry."
Cllr Mathers also raised concerns about repeated attacks on Health Trust buses, with stones being thrown at parked vehicles, resulting in broken windows and vehicles being taken off the road for weeks. "These reckless acts are not wanted in our areas and serve no purpose. They betray our strong and safe communities," he said, adding that the loss of these services has a significant impact on local people who depend on Trust vehicles to get to and from day services and hospital appointments.
Cllr Mathers said the behaviour of a tiny minority is having far reaching consequences for the wider community. "Residents deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities. Local businesses and service providers must be able to operate without fear of intimidation or damage, and public transport should remain accessible to all those who rely upon it."
He urged anyone with information about those responsible to come forward and report the activity to the relevant authorities, and called on police to step up efforts to counter the behaviour. "Tackling anti-social behaviour requires a collective effort, and our Sinn Féin team remains committed to working with others to ensure our communities remain safe, welcoming and connected for everyone," Cllr Mathers said.
