Northern Ireland one petrol bomb away from a racist murder, Belfast rally hears
Northern Ireland is just one petrol bomb away from a racist murder, a rally in the centre of Belfast has heard.
Hundreds attended the event at City Hall which followed five nights of disturbances and rioting in towns in the region.
The rally heard calls for political leadership in opposing racism.
In the latest disorder on Friday night, police were attacked with petrol bombs in Portadown, following violence in Ballymena earlier in the week.
The rally, which was addressed by trade union leaders and politicians, took place in driving rain.
Participants carried placards and chanted: 'No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here' and 'When migrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.'
Addressing the event, Amnesty International Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said 'the ugly face of racism has shown itself on our streets'.
He added: 'We have come very close this week to the loss of life.
'We are just one petrol bomb away from racially motivated murder.'
Mr Corrigan added: 'Too many political leaders have chosen to fan the flames of hate rather than put them out.
'By linking immigration to crime, by blaming migrants for pressure on housing or public services, they seek to turn neighbour against neighbour.
'This rhetoric is not only dishonest — it is dangerous. It gives cover for racism.
' People fleeing war, persecution or poverty are not the problem.
'People working in our hospitals, in social care or in factories are not the problem.
'Racism is the problem, inequality is the problem and political cowardice is the problem.
'When so-called leaders suggest that all migrants are to blame for our social ills, they distract from their own failures to address those challenges.
'What Northern Ireland needs is not more division. It needs real leadership — leadership that stands up for human rights, that protects all communities, and that recognises the value of diversity.
'We call on every political party to end the language of scapegoating, to condemn racist attacks without qualification.
'To commit to serious action against hate crime, and to put in place an Executive anti-racism strategy that is worthy of the name.'
Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance deputy general secretary Patrick Mulholland told the crowd he was a native of Ballymena.
He said: 'Let me tell you this, they did not speak for the people of Ballymena.
'The thousands who protested against potential sex crimes, they spoke for Ballymena – the handful who used that, who exploited that to terrorise their neighbours and terrorise immigrants, did not speak for Ballymena.'
The latest violence came after a senior officer said there would be a 'scaled-up' policing presence across Northern Ireland in anticipation of further disorder over the weekend.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the mobilisation, which would include officers sent over from Scotland, was 'to reassure our communities and protect our streets'.
Disorder started in Ballymena on Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town last weekend. Two 14-year-old boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged with attempted rape.
A peaceful protest about the alleged assault on Monday evening was later followed by attacks on properties and police. The PSNI described the scenes as 'racist thuggery'.
The disturbances in the Co Antrim town continued for several nights and have spread to other areas including Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Portadown and Coleraine.
Following the Belfast rally, United Against Racism Belfast chairwoman Ivanka Antova said the 'racist minority' would not win.
She said: 'The anti-racist majority will not allow far-right agitators to scapegoat migrants and refugees for the hardships working class communities face.
'We count trade unionists, housing campaigners, women's rights activists, and more in our ranks.
'The people who fight day and daily to improve the lives of ordinary people are with us.
'Those responsible for the racist violence have nothing to offer but hatred and fear, and we will oppose them every step of the way.'
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