A 27-year-old man has been assaulted and tied up at his home in south Belfast by a gang carrying hammers and bats.
The man’s family claims that the attack was sectarian.
The PSNI says four or five men wearing masks or balaclavas entered the flat at Newtownbreda Road around 8.30pm last night.
They attacked the occupier, tied him up and then ransacked the house.
The gang escaped in a silver Mercedes car.
The man managed to untie himself and was taken to hospital for treatment but his injuries are described as not life-threatening.
Police have asked anyone with information or who may have seen the silver car in the area at the time to contact them.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Alex Maskey condemned the incident.
He said any violent attack of this type was extremely worrying and could have no place in our society.
Mr Maskey, who is also a member of the Policing Board, called on anybody with information about the incident to contact the PSNI.
