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Over the last week many of us will have been shaken by the disturbing surge in racist attacks and violence on our streets. It is truly heart-breaking to witness the aftermath of burnt out shops with devastated shop workers fearing for their immediate safety and their futures. Reports of vital health care workers (whom we not so long ago stood on the streets and applauded) considering or indeed choosing to leave Northern Ireland out of fear should leave us all sickened and saddened.
These attacks are not random acts of violence. They are co-ordinated and targeted attacks that are fuelled by misinformation, ignorance and prejudice. Within South Belfast those victims have been repeat victims of arson, intimidation and criminal damage – all motivated by hate.
We hear from police that there may have been potential paramilitary involvement in some of these attacks. Regardless of the background of the orchestrators involved, they are not disenfranchised individuals frustrated by a lack of opportunity in their local areas – they are racist thugs who have chosen to inflict fear and violence on innocent people due to the colour of their skin.
I find it abhorrent that any individual or group would seek to use the senseless murder of three little girls to callously advance their own hate-filled agenda.
These individuals do not protect victims – they are leaving them in their wake.
There is no justification, no excuse and no rationalisation that can mitigate these crimes.
Our first priority must be to protect and support the victims of these attacks and those living in fear in our community. They need our compassion, support and unwavering solidarity. They need to see a swift and strong criminal justice response.
They must have access to protection from further harm, counselling and financial support to help rebuild their livelihoods. We must all show them that they are valued members of our community and that we stand with them against those who would threaten their safety and well-being.
I wholeheartedly welcome the return of our political leaders to Stormont on Thursday to send out a clear message that such displays of violence and intimidation are abhorrent to our society and will be met with the full force of the law.
Our most senior leaders must set an example by rejecting any rhetoric that seeks to condone or explain such clear evidence of racial hatred.
So called ‘legitimate concerns’ are never acknowledged when we have condemned examples of sectarian hate crime, sexual assault or street violence in the past. It should therefore play no part in our messaging when we condemn violence against victims who are non-white.
Regardless of our views about the management of our resources by those in power, we must all present a united front against racism and hate crime/
Victims of all crime deserve our unwavering support.