COMMUNITY leaders are to meet in Galliagh today in a bid to tackle ‘out of control’ anti-social behaviour following trouble in the estate over the weekend.
Police said up to 40 youths poured petrol on the street and set it on fire to create a burning barricade in Leafair Gardens and Glencaw Park on Friday night.
When police arrived they were attacked by youths throwing bricks and bottles.
PSNI officers arrested two teenage boys – aged 14 and 16 – during the rioting.
The pair have since been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
Local residents say the area is being plagued by ‘out of control’ youths.
In an interview with BBC Radio, resident Stephen Deery, who lives on the Leafair estate, e that the area is being bombarded by drunken youths causing trouble.
“They must have had petrol in bottles that they were spraying around each other and setting each other alight – so they were jumping around then with their legs and arms on fire.
“It would then turn into stone throwing at each other and fighting which moved the whole way through the estate.
Mr Deery also said youths had set fire to his side of a neighbour’s house.
“We’ve tried to go out ourselves and move them on but they don’t pay no heed.
“The police have been down, they don’t pay no heed. Councillors have been down but nothing seems to work.
“There’s some people on the street who are just too scared to come out at night. I’ve already heard some people talk about leaving the area.
“It’s crazy, it’s out of control,” he told BBC Radio Foyle.
Friday night’s rioting was the latest in a spate of attacks in Galliagh in recent weeks by youths.
Chief Inspector Tony Callaghan said: “Residents in this area have suffered again due to the reckless actions of these youths.
“Two males, aged 14 and 16, were arrested last night on suspicion of riotous behaviour.
“I will again reiterate the message to youths involved in this kind of activity – you run the very real risk of being arrested and getting a criminal record which could affect your life for a very long time.
“Police will continue to work closely with community representatives, local elected representatives and other statutory bodies to address the problem of anti-social behaviour in the area.”
SDLP councillor Brian Tierney lives in Glencaw Park and witnessed the trouble.
“It was very bad,” he said.
“Young people had filled empty washing up liquid bottles with petrol.
“The verbal abuse given to residents was totally uncalled for and totally unacceptable.”
Mr Tierney said the majority of the young people who were involved in the trouble were not from the area.
“I would appeal to parents right across the city to know where their children are and what type of activities they are involved in,” he said.
“The residents have had to put up with high levels of anti-social behaviour over a number of years, but I feel it has reached an all-time high.”
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