Orde defends PSNI response to racist attacks

PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde has rejected criticism of the force's response to an upsurge in xenophobic crimes against eastern Europeans in Belfast.

The police have been accused of a slow response to the spate of attacks that forced 20 Romanian families to flee their homes in the south of the city on Tuesday night.

The home of another Romanian family was also attacked in east Belfast last night.

Mr Orde insisted today that the police responded promptly to any calls for help and said the PSNI took hate crimes very seriously.

He says the situation was confusing and his officers did their best in the circumstances.

The Romanian consul general is due to meet First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont today to discuss the situation.