In the early hours before November 26, 2025, the quiet streets of the Fountain estate in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, were jolted by a stark and chilling message. The home of a Sudanese family—Hala Ahmed, her husband, and two of their four children—became the target of racist graffiti. The words "local only" and a crosshairs symbol were sprayed across their property, a menacing act that has since been widely condemned by community members, local politicians, and advocacy groups alike.
For Hala Ahmed and her family, the Fountain estate has been home since December 2024, when they arrived in Northern Ireland after fleeing the horrors of civil war in Sudan. "Since I came from airport, we moved directly to the Fountain. We have never lived anywhere else. We just recently moved to another house in the area," Ahmed told BBC News NI. The family, well-known for their volunteering efforts with the local youth club and the North West Migrants' Forum (NWMF), had hoped to find sanctuary and peace in their new community.
But the discovery of the graffiti shattered that sense of safety, at least momentarily. Ahmed recounted how her daughter, on her way to catch the bus to school, was the first to see the hateful message. "She called me and said come and see what was written on the wall. When I came out, I saw those words 'local only'," Ahmed said. The shock and fear were immediate. "I consider myself a local, we have never experienced anything like this before," she explained. The incident left her daughter in tears and Ahmed herself deeply unsettled: "It terrified me."
Despite the intimidation, Ahmed remains resolute. "I will be happy to stay here. The Fountain is our first choice and we are going to stay," she affirmed, making it clear that neither she nor her family would be driven out by hate. "We have been doing our best to be part of the community here. There are nice people here who support us."
The response from the wider community has been swift and supportive. Jeanette Warke, who runs the Cathedral Youth Club and has worked closely with Ahmed’s family, expressed her dismay: "This family is so important to our community and are involved with our programmes here. Hala and her family are an asset to the community. The person who did this should meet Hala and her family." Warke’s words echoed the sentiments of many in the Fountain estate, who see the Ahmed family not as outsiders, but as valued neighbors and friends.
The North West Migrants' Forum, an organization deeply embedded in the local community, voiced its anger and disgust at the attack. "This is a family well known to us and that has become firmly embedded in our organisation through their volunteering efforts. They are also well known and well respected within the Fountain community where they have been volunteering with the local youth club," a spokesperson said. The NWMF emphasized the injustice of the situation: "That they are now having to shoulder more worry and more stress in a place they thought they could depend on for sanctuary is just abhorrent." The group pledged to stand by the family in the days and weeks ahead and called on politicians to join in condemning the act.
The Ahmed family's journey to Londonderry was marked by tragedy and upheaval. They fled Sudan in the wake of a brutal civil war that erupted in April 2023, a conflict that has claimed over 150,000 lives and displaced some 12 million people, according to the United Nations. The violence, famine, and allegations of genocide in the Darfur region have made Sudan one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. The family had hoped Northern Ireland would offer a safe haven—an aspiration now tested by this act of hate.
Local politicians have been unequivocal in their condemnation. Foyle SDLP MP Colum Eastwood described the incident as "hateful" and emphasized the family’s positive impact on the city. "People who have come to our city, are raising their family here, contributing to their community and doing their best to make a life for themselves deserve to live in peace," Eastwood stated. He called for accountability: "Those responsible should be held accountable for the disgusting attempt to intimidate this family." Foyle DUP MLA Gary Middleton echoed these sentiments, labeling the attack as "an act of cowardly intimidation" and stressing, "This behaviour is not reflective of the Fountain community or the wider city. My thoughts are with the Sudanese family affected by this disgusting act."
The police, treating the incident as a racially motivated hate crime, have appealed for information from anyone who may have witnessed the attack or captured footage on dash-cam or CCTV. Inspector Michael Gahan of the Foyleside and The Moor Neighbourhood Policing Team called the act "completely unacceptable." He added, "Everyone deserves to live without fear or intimidation." The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
Community campaigners have also voiced their outrage and solidarity. United Against Racism (UAR), a local advocacy group, condemned the graffiti as "threatening." Spokesperson Karen McCole remarked, "I have had the pleasure of meeting this family, they are fantastic people who give all they can back to the community. There is no way that those responsible for this attack are acting in a way that represents the people of the Fountain. Derry is a place where people are welcomed no matter where they are from." UAR’s message was one of unity and defiance in the face of hate: "United Against Racism send their love and solidarity to the victims of this racist attack. While politicians try to scapegoat asylum seekers and migrants we must redouble our efforts to fight racist scaremongering, lies and misinformation. We are one community regardless of creed or colour. We will always look out for our neighbours."
This disturbing incident is not isolated. Police in east Belfast have also reported a separate case of racially motivated criminal damage, with windows smashed and graffiti sprayed on a property between November 24 and 25, 2025. These events highlight a troubling undercurrent of racism that many in Northern Ireland are determined to confront head-on.
For the Ahmed family, the ordeal has been harrowing, but their resolve remains unbroken. The outpouring of support from neighbors, community leaders, and advocacy groups has provided comfort and reassurance. As the investigation continues, the message from Londonderry is clear: acts of hate will not define the city, nor will they succeed in driving out those who have come seeking peace. The Ahmeds, and families like theirs, remain at the heart of the community—a testament to resilience and the enduring power of solidarity.
