Member's statement: Racist Violence

Member's statement by Mr Daniel McCrossan on 15 June 2026.

MLA

Mr Daniel McCrossan

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

15 June 2026

Type

Member's statement

Business

Members' Statements

Heading

Racist Violence

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5613300

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I join colleagues across the House today in calling out the hate-filled, racist and violent scenes that reared their ugly head across Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland last week. It was absolutely appalling and almost unbelievable that such scenes were happening in our communities. What happened needs to be called out. There is no dressing it up. There is no hiding it, nor can we try to explain it away. It was absolute and utter racism. Those who took to the streets, covered their faces, attacked people's homes, burned people out of their homes, attacked healthcare workers and wore masks to stop cars in our towns, villages and cities to check whether there was anyone from an ethnic minority in the vehicle are cowards and thugs. They are racists, racists, racists. That is what they are. We in the House need to be completely united in calling out what happened for what it is. There are legitimate concerns about illegal immigration, where it occurs. This is the forum, to which we are elected, in which to have those conversations, not in the streets, and not by burning public transport or by attacking people because of the colour of their skin. Such scenes have haunted our communities and set them back, and they have traumatised people. They also send a signal to the rest of the world that people cannot visit this place. The cheek of it. The world opened its doors to Irish and British people in very difficult times. They put their arms around us, welcomed us in and gave us opportunities and a life. There is not mass illegal immigration in Northern Ireland. Anyone who dresses it up as being an issue needs to have a good, hard look at themselves or at least go and look at the facts. What we have Northern Ireland is a health service that has been built and is protected and sustained by people from ethnic minorities who care for our citizens daily. Last week's scenes were utterly disgusting. Should anyone want a bit of clarification on how to identify racism, let us remember that 30 women have been murdered in Northern Ireland, often in their own home, by white men. Where was the mass outrage then? Where were the protests in the streets? Where were the attacks on our emergency services? They did not happen. Members, ask yourselves why that was so. Those who were responsible for what we saw last week should face the full consequences of the law and should realise, very painfully, that what they did was unforgivable and is not acceptable.

436 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 01:21 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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