Three injured in NI race attack

Three men were injured in a racist attack in Northern Ireland, it emerged today.

The group were in the Botanic area of south Belfast late last night when they were set upon by four attackers, police said.

They were taken to hospital for treatment but were not seriously injured.

Four people were seen running away from the scene and were subsequently arrested.

Two were still being questioned by police while the other two were released pending further inquiries.

A PSNI spokeswoman said that, while other motives were being investigated, initial inquiries suggested that the attack was racist.

The attack is the latest in a series of racist incidents in the south Belfast area which in the past have been linked to loyalist paramilitaries.