Member's statement: Racist Graffiti: West Belfast
Member's statement by Mr Gerry Carroll on .
- MLA
- Mr Gerry Carroll
- Party at the time
- People Before Profit Alliance
- Date
- 17 February 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Racist Graffiti: West Belfast
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4802409
Read the official Assembly record
Text
In recent weeks, unfortunately, we have seen an upsurge in racist graffiti in parts of the North. My constituency has not been immune to that. We have seen the emergence of graffiti in Beechmount and Lenadoon stating, "Locals only". Of course, such graffiti is not misguided or simply ignorant; it is intended to cause fear and intimidation among people who are not classed as "locals" but who live in communities and contribute so much. The message sent is that, if you are a migrant or an asylum seeker or even if you are racialised as "other" or somebody who is non-white, you are not classed as "local" or welcome in communities. Not only are such ideas deplorable and reactionary, letting the real culprits who are to blame for society's ills off the hook, but they are not reflective of Beechmount, Lenadoon or others areas of West Belfast or across the North. Last week, the people of Beechmount came out in their droves — hundreds of them — to condemn racism and to welcome their neighbours, and I commend them for that. It is worth repeating that racism does not emerge organically but comes out of the swamp of the lies about and degradation of asylum seekers and migrants created by many politicians and media outlets over many years. It is not at all surprising that people who are angry, are alienated or have been failed by the system pick up on those awful ideas. Whilst the racists and the far right are certainly in the ascendant on the global stage, it is not the case that they have it their own way, at least in Belfast and the North. I commend the Beechmount Residents Collective, the residents of the area and people such as Sean Doherty who, despite facing threats and intimidation, are sticking their heads above the parapet to call out racism and to welcome their neighbours. I commend the activists in the Casement Park area of Andersonstown who, a week or so ago, responded quickly to racist graffiti and painted it out. Events are happening locally in the coming days and weeks to celebrate diversity and welcome our migrant and asylum-seeker brothers and sisters. I commend the people who are organising those events. I encourage people who are watching to attend them and play their part in standing up against racism, which has no place in West Belfast or anywhere else on this island.
406 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.06 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- Criteria met: Identity framing (0.77).
- The text criticises or condemns the framing or division (0.99).
- Subject area: Immigration, asylum, race, ethnicity and Travellers.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.77 | Yes |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.07 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.03 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.11 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.19 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.06 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.01 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it (chosen) | 0.99 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Immigration, asylum, race, ethnicity and Travellers | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:57 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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