Belfast Minorities Live in Fear Amid 'Racist Thuggery'

Members of Belfast's ethnic minority communities report living in fear and are hesitant to leave their homes after masked groups rampaged through the city, targeting immigrants. Twasul Mohammed, who arrived in Northern Ireland from Sudan as a refugee in 2016, described the terror felt by women and children, stating they are being kept home from school.

“

Women and kids are terrified and in shock. We are keeping our kids at home, I haven’t sent my kids to school since this has happened.

The unrest began Tuesday following a knife attack for which a Sudanese man faces attempted murder charges. That evening, masked individuals set fire to houses and cars, specifically targeting ethnic minorities. Sporadic unrest continued Wednesday, with fears of further violence. Northern Ireland's minister for the region condemned the anti-migrant attacks as "racist thuggery."

“

You have to remember we are talking about communities where people have fled war in their own country and people have experienced this kind of thing again and again.

For many immigrants, the violence evokes traumatic memories of conflicts they fled in their home countries. Mohammed emphasized that immigrants are not responsible for the housing or health crises and wish to contribute positively to the community. Patricia McKeown, regional secretary for the Unison union, noted that decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland are increasingly being overshadowed by hostility towards ethnic minorities.

“

Immigrants are not the problem, we are not causing the housing crisis or the health service. Every one of us wants to be a part of this community and help build it.

McKeown highlighted that union volunteers assisted at least 30 families in evacuating their homes due to fears of being targeted. She also reported disturbing incidents of vigilante patrols stopping and filming workers, including a nurse who was chased by masked men. Despite the fear, McKeown observed that the violence has also spurred a strong community response, with volunteers offering aid and support.

“

This is a deeply divided society already. This is a society that is not yet post conflict, and…the most base instincts of ordinary people is being appealed to by some very dark and sinister forces.