NI political parties united in condemnation of racist attacks in Belfast

Northern Ireland’s political parties were united in their condemnation of racist mobs who were involved in violent disorder in Belfast in recent days.

The Northern Ireland Assembly was recalled with MLAs returning from summer recess to take part in a special sitting on Thursday.

MLAs backed a motion condemning the recent disorder and rejecting “all forms of racism” in Northern Ireland.

Rioting erupted in the capital on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday evenings following anti-immigration protests.

Police and members of the public were attacked and two businesses owned by people from a minority ethnic background were destroyed in south Belfast. There have also been incidents in north and west Belfast.

There was further disorder on Wednesday night, with police coming under attack in east Belfast.

Justice minister Naomi Long said the demonstrations organised on Saturday were “hate marches”.

“What we’re witnessing is a form of radicalisation of people online through disinformation and outright lies propagated by far-right and white supremacist elements, both domestic and international, and it is incredibly dangerous,” Ms Long told the Assembly.

“While people have a right to an opinion when it comes to issues such as immigration, as with any other issue, it needs to be an informed opinion.

“There have been suggestions from some that this violence is a result of people with genuine concerns about immigration and who were seeking to legitimately protest.

“Firstly, these demonstrations, as they were advertised, were never intended to be either legitimate or lawful. From the outset, they intended to intimidate and threaten.

“They intended to break the law on public processions and to block roads, and I believe that they intended to create violence and unrest.

“Their call for women and children to stand to the front was, in my view, a clear attempt to use them as human shields when violence actually started. They were not, in my view, ever intended to be legitimate.

“They are hate marches.”

She added: “However, I want to speak beyond those to those people who are genuinely confused, frightened or even angry about immigration, to those who believe that immigrants and asylum seekers are the cause of their own hardship. They are not, your anger is misdirected.

“Lack of investment by the last government in public services and housing are the cause and by taking out your frustrations on others because of their ethnicity, religion, skin colour or more, more scarce resources are being wasted and you are being manipulated by far right groups and social media fakery.

“As political leaders, it is our role to counter, not amplify division and disinformation. If you have genuine concerns in our community, raise it with us as your local MLAs.”

Sinn Fein’s Deirdre Hargey said that lessons can be learned from the weekend’s policing operation, adding that “mistakes must not be repeated”.

It comes after business owners, whose premises were targeted by rioters, criticised the police response.

“The priority must be to protect people and property and face down racism, violence and the intimidation,” Ms Hargey added.

“But those responsible for what happened over the last number of days are the individuals and groups who whipped up hate online and then came out onto our streets to cause havoc and mayhem, fuelled by Islamophobic and racist hate.

“These people must now be held accountable for their actions and face the full force of the law.

“There can be no place for racism, hatred, discrimination or intimidation, anywhere within our society.”

The DUP’s Brian Kingston said their thoughts and prayers are with all those who were impacted by the criminals.

He told the Assembly that no one should live in fear.

“Every businessperson whose premises have been destroyed, or damaged, their livelihood uprooted, every innocent person assaulted, injured or feeling fearful, every police officer who put themselves in harm’s way to hold the line against rioters,” he added.

“No one should have to live in fear because of where they were born, the colour of their skin or their religious beliefs.

“The targeting of homes, businesses and places of worship including our mosques is and always has been absolutely wrong.

“Let us be clear from the outset, anyone who perpetuates such attacks, while citing love of crown and country is deeply misguided.

“Civil and religious liberty is and always has been the cornerstone of our United Kingdom.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken said he spent several hours at Antrim Area Hospital with his daughter on Wednesday where he saw healthcare professionals of many races, religions and nationalities.

“(They) worked assiduously in helping our constituents through their health challenges, including my daughter,” he added.

“The people I saw and spoke to in South Antrim in A&E were grateful for the professional medical care they were receiving.

“I did not hear one complaint about receiving help from whatever source it came from.

“I then heard of an attack on the home and car of a healthcare worked in Ballyclare.

“This despicable attack on somebody who is here specifically to help our people is utterly abhorrent.”

The SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole said the Assembly needed to ensure there is a “robust” policing response.

He continued: “It is clear that there are real and profound questions that members of ethnic minority communities, specifically the Muslim community, have over the policing of Saturday’s events.

“It’s also clear there has been a gradual erosion of confidence among members of the Muslim community in the ability of the police to deal with hate crime. Some of that is clearly in the context of depleted resources.

“But what it means now is the policing response needs to be robust, needs to be immediate, and there need to be swift prosecutions.”

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the “far-right forces” behind the attacks are in the minority.

“To say they are countless people here who are determined to stamp out racism, Islamophobia and bigotry of any kind,” he added.

“The scenes we have seen in recent days are abhorrent.”