Amanda Ferguson

Yeah, that's right.

The statement was issued today through Stafford Ward's Facebook page.

He's an independent councillor in the Newton Abbey and Antrim council area, and he issued that statement today, which is really just

thanking people for their support this far and just telling people they don't want to see what has been happening over the last day or so.

So, you know, it's one of those bizarre scenarios that you're reading things like this.

But the statement that was issued on behalf of an approved family said that they're devastated by the horrific attack on their loved ones.

in Kinnaird Avenue, which took place on Monday night, is a massive shock to the whole family.

They want to say a profound thank you to local people who bravely stepped in during the attack.

They said your quick actions absolutely saved his life.

And then they went on to reference the fact that they were aware of tensions and talk of protests, and they want to make it absolutely clear that the overnight unrest is not welcome, that peaceful protest is the only way forward.

I'm saying also that many migrants...

to make a deeply valuable contribution, including the health service and hospitality and a whole range of areas.

And they're also asking the media and the public to give them some space and a bit of privacy.

And if anybody knows anything about Monday night's attack, that they should contact the police with that.

So that's the sort of backdrop that we're dealing with at the moment.

And my colleagues in Dublin that I work regularly with have made me aware of that small protest

in in dublin as well but this is kind of what i've been talking about over the last day or two on the air you know civil uh unrest street disorder rioting violence whatever you want to call it can happen anywhere it can it's not unique to the north just because of our sort of legacy troubles past that happens in dublin it can happen in london it can happen in cardiff it can happen in scotland and we've seen uh the recurring theme of of online agitators

whether they're social media figures or whether they're actually politicians who think that they can use inflammatory language and then sort of like the match and then walk away.

And the consequences of that is that there are people living in fear.

At the moment, there are people terrified to leave their homes, to let their kids go to school and all the rest.