Bashir, a shop owner in South Belfast, went through a terrifying ordeal when his store was set on fire by anti-immigration demonstrators last weekend. This wasn’t the first incident of this nature, nor the second – it was the third attack he has suffered.
Bashir spoke out about his experience in a moving interview on BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback. He explained the extensive damage caused by the attack, lamenting the total destruction of his store, from the water-soaked roof to the lost groceries. The situation felt like nothing short of a catastrophe or a terrible nightmare, he revealed.
The owners of businesses associated with Muslims were frequently targeted by the perpetrators, according to Bashir. These included halal meat shops, Turkish hairdressers, or any business bearing an Arabic or Muslim title.
Bashir also expressed his dissatisfaction with the police response, questioning why he should even bother reporting the incident to them since their action, in his view, was limited to documenting a statement that he considered unfounded.
The violence targeting Muslim immigrants has been making headlines after the recent weekend riots. This has been rightly the case, but despite the ongoing uproar, these hate crimes are nothing new for individuals like Bashir, who belong to ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland.
Luke Butterly, an investigative journalist from the Detail, has previously reported a surge in hate crimes against businesses owned by ethnic minorities in South Belfast, the most ethnically diverse area in the North. He highlighted that several of these victimised businesses had been attacked more than once.
Butterly revealed that the area has seen the highest wave of hate crimes in Northern Ireland but very few cases reach prosecution – around 6% of racial hate crimes, with even fewer resulting in conviction.
The context of the weekend’s turbulent events included intimidating far-right extremists waving flags and storming through southern Belfast, headed for the Belfast Islamic Centre, but were intercepted by riot police. They then proceeded to attack Botanic Avenue enterprises, but were halted by local residents on Lower Ormeau Road. Racist tendencies aren’t novel in Northern Ireland, however, what separates this incident from previous ones is the magnitude of the violence, destruction and response.
These events were coordinated via social media and are part of the UK-wide chaos triggered by the untrue social media accusation that the murder of three girls in Southport was committed by a seeker of asylum. This involved blue-collar loyalists, nationalists and invading far-right instigators from outside Belfast.
Union Jacks and tricolours were fluttered together as the whole of Ireland’s provinces were present. A banner stating “Coolock Says No” was displayed in reference to the previous month’s unrest at a Dublin location that had been designated for asylum seekers.
The Belfast Telegraph’s leading story on Monday made it clear that Irish far-right bullies mixed with UDA in a Belfast pub. The expectation that the breed of racist, anti-immigrant violence spotted on other parts of these isles wouldn’t eventually trickle down to Northern Ireland was misguided. Ground level participants saw the build-up. During the last election campaign in south Belfast, one unionist pegged immigration as the highest priority concern in working-class loyalist regions.
The weekend’s violent outbreak has posed many queries, especially for the Northern Irish police force, who have firmly stood by their law enforcement operation. Political figures also face questions. While public denunciation of the violence and denial of “any form of Islamophobia, xenophobia or racism” in the Northern Assembly holds significance, the assembly must also follow this with action on its Thursday reassembly.
The recall motion fills in the details of how scarce protective measures for the ethnic minority communities have been. Among other initiatives, it pleads for the finalisation of a Refugee Integration Strategy draft and the introduction of a revised Race Relations Order. Northern administrators need to confront racism head on, and now must also address enduring issues south of the border – housing and immigration.
The dilemma that Bashir faces is whether to continue living in Northern Ireland. He is uncertain.