Member's statement: Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Protests
Member's statement by Ms Paula Bradshaw on .
- MLA
- Ms Paula Bradshaw
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 25 February 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Protests
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4814934
Read the official Assembly record
Text
In recent days, some in the Chamber may have seen on social media the graphic for the dual so-called peaceful gatherings that are due to take place in Belfast and Derry on 23 March. Let me be clear: we in the Alliance Party absolutely support and respect the right to peaceful protest. However, I am gravely concerned about the language used in the graphic, which states:
"Our men, women and children cannot be exposed to any more harm."
What harm do they speak of? My recollection of the fallout from the previous protest last summer was that people were intimidated in and out of their home. Many businesses were burned to the ground, and hotels were damaged. Neighbourhoods were vilified and branded as racist and intolerant. Thirty people were charged, including young people between the ages of 14 and 16. International student numbers were down in our two universities, such was the worldwide reporting of the incidents. Most worrying were the physical attacks: at least 10 police officers were injured, and many individuals were attacked just for going about their daily lives, including a young man to whom I spoke, who was chased by four men and had his head stamped on. That is what harm looks like. Let me be clear: as the Justice Minister noted in the Chamber yesterday, we do not accept that the risk of injury should be part of the job of policing. Police officers are public servants. We should, therefore, all be concerned that there may be a repeat of the violence in March and be mindful that our front-line police officers would bear the brunt of it. It is one thing for misinformation to be spread online but quite another for it to be spread in the Chamber. Members have a responsibility to act and speak in a manner that keeps all people safe. The Executive Office's draft refugee integration strategy was consulted on in November 2021, but there is no sign of it yet from the First Minister and deputy First Minister, with no credible explanation. I appreciate that TEO officials are working on its draft form, but signing off on it would send a strong message to everyone in society because of the importance given to it by our two First Ministers. We all need to be leaders in our constituencies and stand up for the marginalised and vulnerable, among whom are asylum seekers and refugees who have come to our country because of our freedoms and protections. We cannot let some destroy that for everyone.
425 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: 0.18 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.65).
- The text criticises or condemns the framing or division (0.90).
- 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 | 0.18 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.06 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.06 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.10 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.14 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.65 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.18 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.09 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.01 |
| Criticises or condemns it (chosen) | 0.90 |
| 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 12:01 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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