Debate contribution: Racist Incidents

Debate contribution by Mr Gerry Carroll on 12 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Gerry Carroll

Party at the time

People Before Profit Alliance

Date

12 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Committee Business

Heading

Racist Incidents

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4658384

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I support the motion, but I feel that it is a bit too little too late. It is also worth saying that the Executive's disapproval of racist violence did not force the far right and loyalist forces off the streets this summer. They were forced off the streets this summer by organised counter-mobilisations of tens of thousands of people in Belfast and beyond. It is important to say that now, because, at the time, some people were warning and urging people to stay away from counterprotests and not take to the streets. The violence was disgusting in August, but imagine how much worse it would have been in the aftermath had there not been those counter-mobilisations. Anti-fascist mobilisation is key and crucial to giving people confidence and to pushing aside the far right, fascist, loyalist paramilitaries. The counter-mobilisations were organised by groups such as United Against Racism and many others, which are determined to stand up to racism, Islamophobia and hatred. Anti-racism activists, community groups, trade unionists and ordinary people stepped in to take action because the Executive have failed time and time again. That should teach us a lesson in the Chamber about where real power lies. It lies not in this Chamber but on the streets with ordinary, working-class, decent people. Part of the review mentioned in the motion must involve holding the PSNI to account for its inaction. The PSNI failed to explain how violent racists were effectively given the green light to rampage around Belfast attacking migrants and their homes and migrant-owned businesses. It defies belief, but the PSNI was given ample warning about those inevitable attacks, yet people were left vulnerable and neighbours were left to the mercy of the far right. We are still waiting for answers from the PSNI as to why that happened. The PSNI simply cannot be trusted or depended on to protect migrants. I note the evidence from the North West Migrants Forum, which basically told of its experience of the PSNI effectively pushing it into the hands of community leaders, and we know what that means when it comes to dealing with racism. I have been told that by public bodies as well. When referred to, community leaders are, in reality, paramilitaries, and they have no place in our society, never mind any place in tackling racism. Many are involved in it themselves. Instead, we saw groups of residents and local communities stepping in to protect their migrant minority neighbours when the state cannot be relied on. The contrast between the way the police handled far right rampagers over the summer and how they cracked down on people taking part in Black Lives Matter protests or how they police people who are racialised minorities every day of the week is completely stark and striking. There is such a contrast. It is worth repeating that migrants are not to blame for welfare cuts, despite what we have heard from some people today. Deepening poverty is not caused by migrants or refugees, nor is our housing crisis or the crumbling of our public services. The vast majority of us know that. I have to say that Executive Ministers have played an active role — some of them — in stoking up racist mob violence, giving a wink and a nod. They talk about genuinely held concerns of far-right thugs and give legitimacy to hatred. I repeat, as the Member for South Belfast said eloquently: there is no such thing as genuinely held concerns when you are talking about racism and far-right violence. I have appealed before and appeal once again to the deputy First Minister: stop using that inflammatory and dangerous language. The far right is on the rise. They are whipping up racist hate and scapegoating migrants for the economic and social problems facing our society. They use fear to divide working-class communities that have been repeatedly failed by the state. There is nothing legitimate about racism, Islamophobia or the violent hatred of a bigoted minority. The attacks over the summer were not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern of racist violence, and many of the migrant-owned businesses that were targeted in south Belfast have been attacked before on multiple occasions. The racial equality strategy is still outstanding. Larne House is still open. The hostile environment is still in operation, and asylum seekers are denied the right to work and access to public services — the list goes on. Motions are important, but we need to see action on these points and many more if we are to push back racism and tackle the far right and growing fascism in our society.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:32 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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