A Syrian man living in Northern Ireland has said he fears for his life after bricks were thrown through his front window.
Abdullah al-Masri fled his war-torn home for Belfast two years ago and now lives alone near Sandy Row.
His home was attacked on Wednesday evening in what the PSNI is treating as a racially motivated hate crime.
Abdullah told this newspaper he was still in shock.
“My windows were smashed with stones, my TV was broken and my phone was damaged as well,” he said, speaking through a translator.
“I rang the police and they came to my house. Now an investigation is ongoing.”
While Abdullah avoided injury in the attack, he is still struggling to come to terms with it.
His window was put in a week after Belfast was gripped by race-hate riots following protests across the UK in response to the murders of three children in Southport, Merseyside.
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The PSNI has arrested 39 people, and charged 30, over the violence, which was condemned by politicians.
Abdullah said: “I feel like I have no safety. I am now in a state of severe shock and I cannot accept that this [happened] to my house.
“I am worried they will come again and kill me in my bed. I am so scared.
“I am just in shock. I love Irish people and I don’t want [racist] attacks.
“I’ve heard people say things about me that are not true.
“I have lived here for two years. I had problems in Syria and a very stressful situation. That’s why I [came to Belfast].”
Among the politicians condemning the attack on the property was SDLP councillor Gary McKeown.
He said: “I’m disgusted that, once again, we are hearing news of a racist attack.
“After a few days of relative calm in our city, it’s deeply disappointing to see another racist attack on a home in south Belfast.
“Last week our city sent a message, loud and clear, rejecting racism and hate, with thousands taking to the street to show solidarity with those impacted by the disorder and racist attacks.”
Mr McKeown said many migrants and people from ethnic minority backgrounds were living in fear.
He continued: “Far too many members of our community are terrified after what has happened recently and the pattern of intimidation that has been going on for years.
The PSNI said: “Luckily, the resident who was inside [the house] at the time was not injured but has been left shaken by their ordeal.
“This type of act is unacceptable, and we are treating this as a racially motivated hate crime.”
Separately, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced that 131 hate-crime incidents had been reported to the Housing Executive in the last year, with 22 in the first week of this month alone.