LONDON - Britain’s minister for Northern Ireland said on Thursday that two nights of anti-immigration violence in the province amounted to "racist thuggery," after police again deployed water cannon to disperse rioters.
Hilary Benn said the level of disorder in Belfast on Wednesday night was lower than the previous evening, when rioters set fire to homes and news1vehicles and targeted ethnic minorities. The unrest followed a knife attack for which a Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder.
Authorities reported that many of the people who clashed with police on Wednesday had been attempting to get to a hotel outside Belfast that in the past has been the focus of attention for hosting asylum seekers. The clashes prompted a renewed police response that included the use of water cannon to try to control the crowds.
"Well, if you are targeting people on the basis of the color of their skin, how else can you describe them? That is racist thuggery."
Benn used that wording when asked on Sky News whether the violent scenes should be characterised as racist riots rather than protests. He emphasised the racially motivated element by pointing to those being targeted by attackers.
He also warned of deep trauma within the province as a consequence of the disturbances. "It’s really difficult to convey the genuine sense of fear there is on the part of the ethnic minority community here in Northern Ireland as they’ve witnessed these scenes," Benn said, noting reports of people being stopped in their cars and asked about their nationality, and of nurses going to work amid the unrest.
"This is appalling," he added, underlining the human impact the minister said the incidents had inflicted on minority residents and public service workers who encountered hostility while carrying out their duties.
The situation described by officials highlights localised security challenges, visible community fear, and disruptions to everyday activities including travel and healthcare attendance. Police measures such as water cannon were used to restore order after two consecutive nights of clashes.