Heavy police presence as anti-racism and far-right gather for counter-protests at Belfast city hall
At one side of Belfast City Hall stood the 'Belfast Stands Against Racism rally' organised by United Against Racism Belfast which was endorsed by 137 organisations across Belfast and beyond.
In a post on social media ahead of the rally, they said: "This coalition of trade unions, tenant unions, poilitical parties and community groups and activists reject the hate and division whipped up by the far-right."
"Join us at City Hall and say no to racism and no to fascism.'
They held banners reading 'No Hate No Fear Refugees Welcome Here' and 'Belfast stands against racism'.
On the other side of the Belfast City Hall gates saw an anti-immigration rally with banners reading 'Belfast Says No' and 'We need to protect our children'.
The PSNI was present during the rallies.
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BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Police come under attack for fourth night in North
Police have come under attack for a fourth consecutive night in Northern Ireland as disorder spread through multiple towns. Missiles were thrown at officers after a protest in Portadown on Thursday, continuing a trend that was sparked earlier in the week in Ballymena. Advertisement It came after Northern Ireland's police chief warned 'bigots and racists' behind earlier nights of unrest in the North that his officers will be coming after them. Jon Boutcher said a young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena at the weekend, an incident that triggered protests that descended into violence in the Co Antrim town, had been 'further traumatised' by the rioting since Monday. Forty-one officers have been injured in the unrest, which had resulted in 15 arrests by Thursday evening. Mr Boutcher, who met the girl's family earlier that day, spoke to the media in Belfast after a meeting with his oversight body, the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Advertisement 'Stop this violence,' he said. 'We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully. It is not in any way a way for a civilised society to behave and it must stop now.' He said the family was 'mortified' by the disorder. PSNI officers form a barricade with riot shields in Ballymena on Thursday (Liam McBurney/PA) 'This girl's family and this girl want it to end. Our communities want it to end. We need it to end. So please don't come out on the streets tonight. If you do, we will police you and we will deal with you through the criminal justice system.' After the warning, there were tense scenes in Portadown as masked individuals hurled masonry, fireworks and other objects at riot police late into the night. Advertisement Officers moved to extinguish fires set on roads while residents worked to clear debris left over from clashes in the area around Jervis Street. Police units, supported by the presence of a water cannon, dispersed those gathered into other areas of the town towards midnight. However, the unrest in Northern Ireland appeared of a lower intensity than scenes earlier in the week. Some gatherings planned in other towns proceeded largely without any major disturbance by 9pm on Thursday. Advertisement A significant police presence had been deployed to Ballymena but there was no initial repeat of the violence of previous nights. Police said a separate protest in east Belfast also ended early in the evening. The riotous behaviour earlier in the week saw vandalism, vehicles burned and arson attacks on a number of properties across several towns. Petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry and a hatchet were among items thrown at officers. Advertisement Police responded with water cannon, dogs and plastic baton rounds in an attempt to disperse crowds during riots in Ballymena. Mr Boutcher said: 'I want to specifically mention the 41 police officers who've been injured. Each of those officers have put themselves in harm's way to protect our communities. A PSNI vehicle near debris on fire during disorder in Ballymena (Liam McBurney/PA) 'And I want to send a very clear message to all our diverse communities: we stand absolutely shoulder to shoulder with you. We are here to protect you. 'We are your police service, and these bigots and racists will not win the day. This will be policed properly. We will deal with this, and we all know that in this room, but let's call an end to it now.' The PSNI chief said the initial lawful and legitimate process before unrest broke out was done in a way that was responsible and empathetic to the victim. However, he said the protest was subsequently 'hijacked' and turned into 'wanton, disgraceful criminal behaviour that is absolutely race motivated'. The chief said the service was under-resourced and needed to be funded 'properly' rather than 'disgracefully'. A hatchet was thrown at police during the unrest (PSNI Handout/PA) However, he said his officers would still bring people to justice: 'We've put our public order inquiry team together, we'll be releasing images of those responsible. We will be going after them.' Mr Boutcher said 80 public-order officers from Scotland came to the North on Thursday to support policing efforts. He described how PSNI members helped evacuate foreign national families who were hiding in attics and wardrobes in their homes in Ballymena as rioters went on the rampage on Monday. He said the families targeted had done nothing wrong. 'They are not criminals. They contribute positively to society here and are well integrated,' he said. A person throws a hatchet at police during the disorder (Liam McBurney/PA) 'Fire Service colleagues described how they went to the scenes to stop arson attacks at those addresses, and how they, in all their years in the Fire Service, have not seen levels of violence to that level, and told me specifically and directly of the bravery, the courage of a very thin green line of police officers that without doubt, in my view, saved lives that night.' Earlier, a judge said the courts would deal 'robustly' with those involved in the violence in Ballymena. District Judge Nigel Broderick said that young people who got involved were risking a significant custodial sentence, as three teenagers faced rioting charges at the town's magistrates' court on Thursday. Michael Elliot, 18, of Lanntara, Ballymena, and two youths, were the first defendants to appear in court since the sustained violence erupted on Monday. Meanwhile, two other teenage boys who were arrested during the disorder have been released on bail to allow for further police inquiries. Michael Elliott, 18, leaving Ballymena Courthouse, after a short hearing where he faced charges relating to the disorder (Liam McBurney/PA) Secretary of State Hilary Benn described the scenes as 'mindless racist thuggery' while Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long said it has been a 'three-day festival of hate and destruction' which needs to stop before someone loses their life. There was an arson attack on a leisure centre in Larne, thirty minutes from Ballymena, after it was temporarily used as an emergency shelter for those in urgent need after disturbances in the town earlier in the week. Communities minister Gordon Lyons, who highlighted the use of the building in a social media post, said all those who had been staying at the leisure centre are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said Mr Lyons should resign over the post, and the leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole, said he would refer the communities minister to the standards commission. Mr Benn also asked the minister to 'reflect upon his words' and 'not upon his position'. Mr Lyons has resisted calls for his resignation and said he would 'strongly hit back at any notion' that he had publicly revealed the facility was being used to house immigrant families who had been affected by violence in Ballymena.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Spending Review 2025: What's next for Northern Ireland?
Wednesday's UK Spending Review means Stormont ministers now know the rough size of their budget in the two years before the next assembly 2026, they will have about £16.3bn for day-to-day spending, up by about 2% in cash terms compared to this will initially rise by another 3% in cash terms in 2027 to £ Minister John O'Dowd did not waste any time in managing expectations about what this means. "The reality is the executive will still remain in a financially constrained position, particularly in 2026-27," he said."It is clear that significant challenges remain for our public services."Those challenges were obvious on the streets of Northern Ireland this week. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which the chief constable says is "critically underfunded", had to ask for outside help after just two nights of violence. Justice Minister Naomi Long is bidding for funding for a policing recovery plan, which is one of many competing in the week, the independent budget watchdog, the NI Fiscal Council, warned there were no easy answers to the chronic underfunding of NI Water.A lack of investment in wastewater infrastructure is already undermining other executive aims to increase housing supply and tackle pollution. A 'needs-based' top-up for Stormont The Spending Review confirmed that for the foreseeable future Stormont will continue to get a "needs-based" financial was introduced when devolution returned last year and adds 24p to every £1 which comes to Northern Ireland via the standard devolution funding formula.A bid to increase the size of the top-up was not successful, though negotiations between Stormont and the Treasury with no immediate prospect of significant additional funds from London executive ministers will need to look again at how they spend what they have.A more stable Stormont means makes a strategic approach relatively intention is to use the Spending Review as an opportunity to agree a multi-year budget next year, the first time that will have happened in more than a decade. The Audit Office, a spending watchdog, has previously concluded that single-year budgets were hampering planning and innovation across NI public services."The executive now needs to move away from single-year, crisis budgets and take more ownership of its own financial position," said Ann Watt, director of the Pivotal think tank."A multi-year settlement provides a chance for ministers to plan for the next three years, and choose how best to prioritise spending, investment, reform and workforce planning."However she warned that a multi-year budget on its own will come nowhere near to solving the problems in NI public services."Transformation is essential," she said."This is the only way that services can be made sustainable and affordable for now and the future."A focus on prevention and early intervention is key."Some relative minor transformation projects are underway, funded by the financial package which accompanied the return of is probably only a limited window to start bolder, perhaps controversial, projects before the Stormont parties start to move into election mode in the second half of next year.
Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Telegraph
Blame game breaks out over Northern Ireland riots
A Stormont minister is facing calls to resign as a blame game breaks out over the Northern Ireland riots. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is accused of making Larne Leisure Centre a target for anti-migrant rioters with a social media post sent hours before it was set on fire. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill has now told him to 'consider his position', claiming he had 'failed to show correct leadership'. Mr Lyons, of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said he would 'strongly hit back at any notion' that he had publicly revealed the facility was being used to house immigrant families who had been affected by violence in nearby Ballymena. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said ethnic minorities have been targeted in the violence, which they have described as 'racist thuggery'. Masked youths attacked the leisure centre on Wednesday night and set it on fire. Before the blaze, Mr Lyons posted on social media that the building had been used to temporarily accommodate several people following riotous behaviour in Ballymena, which is 30 minutes away. His post said: 'As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP council colleagues were made aware or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon.' He added: 'It has now been confirmed to us by the PSNI and council that all these individuals are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne. 'Protesting is, of course, a legitimate right, but violence is not and I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful.' Ms O'Neill said Mr Lyons had 'failed to show correct leadership and I think that his commentary falls very short and very much strays into the territory of inflaming the situation, so I think that he should consider his position.' 'Stop the rumours' Asked by the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme if he should still be in his job, Mr Lyons replied: 'Absolutely.' He added: 'My message was posted because rumours had been circulating that the leisure centre was to be turned into a permanent centre. 'A protest had already been planned at 7pm last evening. 'The PSNI was then in contact with one of our local councillors and they were keen that we highlight the fact that the leisure centre was no longer being used for this purpose, they wanted to stop the rumours that people were being permanently housed there and all of that was the catalyst for the protest. 'As a result of that, I posted a clarification that the centre had been used but that was temporary and was no longer being used for that purpose.' Mr Lyons said he believed it was right that public representatives should be consulted when emergency protocols are put in place. He said: 'I believe that information is key here so that rumours don't circulate around.' Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said: 'If people have been forced out of their homes, they need to be taken to a place of safety and they need to be looked after because they will be traumatised and they will be frightened. 'I don't think it helps matters at all to publicise where they have been taken.' 'Reckless' Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, who is a DUP party colleague of Mr Lyons, said: 'I think that what the people of Northern Ireland need and want right now is to see that the Executive is united, and united on a very clear message. 'That is incredibly important, we have just seen three nights of violent disorder.' Matthew O'Toole, leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said he had referred Mr Lyons' social media post to the Assembly standards commissioner. Alliance Party MLA Danny Donnelly said: 'If I was the minister I would be considering my position. 'Highlighting the location of where immigrant families who had been burnt out were taken to a place of safety on social media was reckless and dangerous, and it certainly was a factor in that protest.' Third night of disorder Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew described Mr Lyons' post as 'reckless and inflammatory', adding: 'Leadership should show responsibility - not feed into the fear of the vulnerable.' Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the leisure centre had been designated as an emergency rest centre for those in urgent need following the disturbances in Ballymena, but the families had been safely relocated elsewhere. The fire in Larne coincided with a third night of public disorder in Ballymena. The violence began around Clonavon Terrace on Monday night following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged.
