In the Sandy Row district of south Belfast, a stronghold for the UDA paramilitary group, colourful banners wave in the wind as a local man clears shattered glass and rubble from the pavement outside his gutted supermarket. This working-class, loyalist neighbourhood close to the city centre, where the paramilitary group still wields power, has witnessed attacks on residents and businesses representing various ethnic minorities.
Tensions reached boiling point a week prior when xenophobic demonstrators, featuring far-right activists from Dublin holding a “Coolock Says No” placard, assaulted an anti-racism rally at Belfast City Hall. Following this, they went on a rampage through south Belfast, the most ethnically diverse region in Northern Ireland. When they were obstructed from reaching the Belfast Islamic Centre, they directed their violence towards businesses — halal shops, Turkish hairdressers, any enterprise with an Islamic name — until they were stopped by community members at Lower Ormeau Road.
The unsettling outbreak of violence persisted; as of Thursday evening, law enforcement had apprehended 22 individuals connected to race-fuelled hate crimes, incidents and turmoil. In a horrifying incident in Sandy Row, a man in his 50s was brutally injured as assailants stamped on his head. Police officers also faced “unrelenting attacks” from rioters who hurled petrol bombs, masonry and bricks.
In an episode of targeted violence, Robert McDowell, a real estate agent based in north Belfast’s Woodvale area, fell victim to an attack involving masked men and a stolen car. McDowell revealed that his business was previously targeted due to misleading information circulating on social media accusing him of providing housing for asylum seekers.
This disturbing wave of animosity is merely the surface. Numerous victims have shared their experiences of being previously targeted, asserting that this was the first time their ordeal came to broader public attention. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has stated unequivocally that it believes the loyalist paramilitary group is definitely involved in these assaults.
The issue of racism isn’t solely restricted to one community as demonstrated by the Tricolours and union flags seen at the recent anti-immigration rally, as well as the racial attacks directed towards employees at a store on Falls Road. As per Daniel Holder, from the Belfast human rights NGO, Committee on the Administration of Justice, these incidents are a part of a larger, concerning pattern pervasive in areas under loyalist paramilitary control.
Compared to England, the situation has drastically escalated. It’s not just the increased involvement of far-right groups but an ongoing pattern of organized, racially motivated violence linked with the loyalist paramilitary actors. The excuse often used for such acts centres around housing; baseless allegations suggest that people from ethnic minorities are unfairly provided accommodation, thus preventing others from secure housing or availing public services.
Paddy Gray, an emeritus professor of housing from Ulster University, highlights the reality of the housing crisis. There is indeed a shortfall of social housing and surpassing targets has proven challenging, year after year. For many individuals facing increased rents in the private sector, affording a house is becoming more difficult. For instance, in Derry, lots of people struggle to secure accommodation due to increasing unaffordability. He emphasises the growing disparity between the increasing housing needs and the lack of adequate housing supply. Gray dismisses the notion of migrants affecting waiting lists, asserting they largely reside in privately rented accommodations and there is no preferential treatment in social housing allocation – it is primarily need-based.
Meanwhile, anti-racism efforts within the loyalist community, supported by groups such as Her Loyal Voice, have reportedly been undermined over the last decade. Furthermore, statistics from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) reveal that migration figures to Northern Ireland aren’t particularly significant – an increase of approximately 0.1%, or 2,300 people, in 2022 and the first rise since 2019. As for 2024-25, budget cuts will only see 400 new social housing units being built, a far cry from the set target of 2,000. Simplistically put, housing production is insufficient.
Based on recent data from the Law Centre NI, only 2,800 asylum seekers, amounting to 2.5% of all those seeking refuge in the UK, currently reside in Northern Ireland. Despite popular belief, these individuals are not placed on the social housing waiting lists since their lodging is the responsibility of the UK government.
The appeal for increased social housing, evident on a Sandy Row wall, is a reasonable demand, but attributing the scarcity to immigrants is not justifiable.
Ron McDowell, the deputy leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), argued this week that perceptions play a significant role in the situation. He made reference to hard-pressed working-class communities and called for a conversation about the strain immigration places on public services, stating that the consequences of large scale migration should not be overlooked.
Edwin Poots, a DUP MLA and speaker at Stormont, criticised recent violence in south Belfast as completely unacceptable, pointing out that housing has become unaffordable and inaccessible, resulting in working individuals being displaced from their communities.
A loyalist interviewed by the Belfast Telegraph metaphorically referred to the ongoing situation as trying to strike a balance on a political “tightrope,” saying, “They may be rogues, but they’re our rogues. It has to do with deep-rooted tribal instincts.”
Expressing apprehension for her safety, ‘Caroline’ – a pseudonym – criticised some unionist politicians for their lack of effective leadership. As a member of Her Loyal Voice, consisting of loyalist women, she advocates against racism. Based on her view, those expressing ‘genuine concerns’ have failed to address racial stereotypes adequately.
She contends that the severe societal issues, such as housing shortages, extended NHS waiting lists and violence against women and girls, are unrelated to migration. Comments suggesting otherwise are harmful, she says, and feed into a misconception that these issues are correlated with migration.
She also expressed her worries about young individuals in loyalist communities becoming radicalised, saying that they are often swayed by misleading information which they then use to justify their actions.
Despite the prevalent narrative, there is a lesser-known but significant opinion suggesting that some of these current issues aren’t directly related to migration, she argues. These often unheard contrasting perspectives are seldom voiced, largely due to people’s unwillingness or fear of expressing them. To put it mildly, she found the previous week heartbreaking. There had been significant strides within loyalism over the past ten years or so that are now steadily being eroded.
She vehemently believes that this won’t benefit their community in any way, with the younger generation being influenced negatively by these actions. Her concerns also extend to her neighbours from ethnic minorities who could perceive her being a loyalist as hostility.
Recently in Stormont, the MLAs gathered and passed a motion renouncing all forms of Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism. While this symbolism was welcomed, the need for action remains irrefutable; to name a couple, Northern Ireland lacks hate crime laws, and the racial equality strategy – which the Executive plans to implement this week – has been on hold for almost two decades since its initial release.
More protests lie on the horizon with heightened concerns of escalating unrest. There’s a growing apprehension and potential for trouble; on Thursday, Ali Khan from the Northern Ireland Muslim Council dismissed the dangerous rumours of armed Muslim gangs in Belfast as a complete untruth.
Despite being a minority, Muslims in Northern Ireland have been experiencing increased targeting and destructing of their properties, all fueled by these false narratives. Local security at the Belfast Islamic Centre has been reinforced; the Northern Ireland Police Service (PSNI), has been under scrutiny for their management of the violence and have opted for additional support from the Police Scotland due in the coming week.
Chief Constable Jon Boutcher shared with journalists on Thursday, “All of our migrant and diverse communities are feeling at risk.” He added, “The fear is unlike anything I’ve seen in my over 40 years on the force. We must put an end to this, and we will.”