COMMUNITY workers on the Galliagh estate have spoken of their horror over ‘out of control’ teenagers dousing other young people in petrol and trying to turn them into human fireballs.
The revelation comes as police and local representatives try to stamp out the serious violence and anti-social behaviour that has terrified residents of Leafair Park.
Stones, bottles and cans still litter the streets there, following trouble which has flared over the past few weekends.
Friday night’s violence is said to have been the worst so far.
Young people, some of them aged only 12 and 13, poured petrol on the roads and set it alight – apparently as some kind of road block.
However, the most recent violence has taken a new and sinister twist.
Community groups along with the PSNI have been meeting to discuss the situation, trying to find a way to stop the violence and reassure terrified residents that something is being done.
Area police boss Chief Inspector Tony Callaghan said: “My officers would say that clearly there was petrol being poured on the road, but they also had petrol in ‘squeezy bottles’ and they were squirting it at each other and setting it alight.
“Clearly risky and it has to stop.”
And he warned: “You run the very real risk of being arrested and getting a criminal record which could affect your life for a very long time.”
Scores of young people were in Leafair Park at the weekend for a pre-planned riot.
Police officers who went to the scene to disperse the crowd and keep the peace were targeted by yobs hurling stones and bottles.
Two boys aged 14 and 16 were arrested for riotous behaviour but were later released on police bail pending further inquiries.
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.
Community groups believe the violence is fuelled by drugs and alcohol culture among young people.
“We do believe that there is drugs involved in this,” said Peter McDonald, from Leafair Community Association.
“They’re dousing one another in petrol and putting light to it. That is not normal behaviour among young people.
“My fear is that this will end up in a tragedy.”
