Northern Ireland: PSNI must prevent racist ‘mob rule’

Responding to the racist attacks in Belfast over the weekend, Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Director of Amnesty International, and one of the speakers at the anti-racism rally in Belfast on Saturday, said:

“The police must never allow the horrific events of this weekend to happen again. Minoritised communities are now living in fear.

“An unlawful procession, including masked men clearly intent on violence, marauded across the most ethnically diverse part of Belfast, attacking communities and businesses as they went - and the PSNI did not stop them.

“There are serious questions for the police, who publicly declared they were prepared, but then failed to protect already vulnerable communities.

“Violent racists have now been emboldened, with agitators signalling their intentions to ‘go again’ this week.

“The police, while facing an undoubtedly difficult task, cannot afford to get it wrong again. Their job is to uphold the law, protect innocent citizens and prevent mob rule.”