Debate contribution: Sectarian and Racist Intimidation

Debate contribution by Ms Kellie Armstrong on 16 September 2025.

MLA

Ms Kellie Armstrong

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

16 September 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Sectarian and Racist Intimidation

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5111735

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to propose this very serious motion. I urge every Member present to consider not just what is said in the Chamber but what it means outside this place, in the homes, on the streets and in the lives of people who feel unsafe simply because of who they are or where they live. I ask everyone in the Chamber today to support the motion and to vote for it, because we must act, we must act together and we must act now. I am very grateful for the statement that came out of the Executive confirming that all Executive parties have condemned all racially motivated violence. I am sure that the Opposition, although they are not in the Executive, concur with that, as do People Before Profit, our independent Member and the TUV. What has happened this year across Northern Ireland has been disgusting. No one should fear that they are going to be attacked simply because of the colour of their skin. No one should be left wondering whether it is safe for them to walk through their community. As an Assembly, we cannot just condemn what has happened and move on. We need to see politicians taking leadership, making brave decisions and actually tackling the root causes of what has happened across Northern Ireland. In recent months, particularly in places such as Ballymena, Belfast and other towns and cities, there have been multiple reports of sectarian and racist intimidation and attacks on individuals and homes — windows smashed, threats made and people terrified in their own neighbourhoods. Some have had to flee their homes, and some are left wondering at what point their identity, their accent or who they are might be enough to make them a target. Sadly, these are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of deeper tensions and of the absence, in places, of a strategy to protect people, promote shared understanding and confront hatred. As elected representatives, we must speak clearly and unequivocally on behalf of all those victims. It is not enough to say that we condemn without naming what we condemn: sectarianism, racism, hate, intimidation and violence in all its forms. People in our community need to know that we, their political representatives, see them and not just the criminals; that we mean what we say; that we will follow our words with action; and that, when someone's home is attacked because of who they are, be it because of their race, religion or ethnicity, politicians will not equivocate. We must take responsibility for the language that we use, and we must call out behaviour that seeks to divide, intimidate or threaten. Targeting anyone with violence is wrong, full stop. I am a bit disappointed that the Executive Office is taking so long to bring forward its refreshed good relations strategy. It is a successor to Together: Building a United Community, which was itself intended to tackle sectarianism and racism through adopting a whole-community approach. While our community faces division, violence and tension, we are still waiting for the new strategy. We need it now more than ever. Without it, we have no cohesive strategic framework that is grounded in clear actions, measurable targets and accountability. Without it, we are fighting individual fires rather than preventing them. Without it, we will not identify programmes to be funded throughout the upcoming multi-year Budget. The delay is not simply a bureaucratic failing. It is a failure, and, sadly, it comes with a human cost. As the Minister will know, we are in the grip of a housing crisis. Families need safe, affordable homes that are secure and that are in communities in which they can stay. They need homes that are not just a roof over their head but a refuge from fear. Poor housing, a shortage of social and affordable housing and barriers to building more new houses are not just infrastructure issues but matters of safety, community cohesion and equality. When people are pushed into overcrowded, substandard housing or into areas with tensions, when waiting lists stretch and when affordability is out of reach, that heightens resentment and anxiety and can even feed into hate and misinformation. It provides the far right antagonists with an audience that turns on people in the community instead of pointing fingers at us, the politicians, who are failing to meet housing and other needs. The motion calls on the Minister for Communities:

"to outline what specific action his Department is undertaking to focus resources to deliver housing for all, based on the community safety framework that is designed to protect people who are being targeted in their own homes."

I read with much interest the departmental business plan for 2025-26, and an objective in it highlights the fact that there will be action taken to:

"Recognise diversity, tackle poverty, encourage participation in society and promote social inclusion to create a society of respect and acceptance."

I am slightly disappointed, however, when it comes to the activities that are mentioned under that heading. It talks about things that we all agree are important, such as fuel poverty, the disability strategy and actions to progress sign language, but, to be honest, if we are going to talk about social value, we need a clear plan, with a funding timeline and accountability for the new good relations strategy and with tangible actions that address sectarianism and racism. That is not for the Minister to deliver on his own, because it is an Executive strategy. We need stronger use of the community safety framework to identify risk zones, to support those who are targeted and to ensure that police and community safety agencies act swiftly to prevent escalation. We need specific housing interventions. Social houses need to be built, and we need to make housing-for-all developments the standard. Rented properties need to be affordable. Homelessness needs to be mitigated, and barriers to planning, finance and funding need to be removed, as does bureaucracy. Those are all things what we can do to support the Minister for Communities. There should be cross-departmental coordination to help communities, the environment, social development and justice. All Departments must play their part. Crucially, if he is funded to do so, the Minister for Communities has the opportunity to step up and meet the objective in the business plan that will allow him to deliver community programmes that help bring about a more inclusive and welcoming society.

That means investing in grassroots initiatives, shared spaces and youth and cultural programmes that bring people together rather than dividing them. If we want people to feel safe in their homes, we must also ensure that they feel safe in their neighbourhood, in their community and in the daily fabric of life.

Making Northern Ireland work is as much about building a society where we are all respected and included as it is about developing the economy. There is no place in our community for hate, xenophobia, racism or Islamophobia. That has to stop. Certainly, my thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by the targeted violence and intimidation. The House stands with you. The motion is not about scoring political points. I am confident that all Members will agree with me when I say that we are all opposed to the violence that we have seen reported in our newspapers, on TV and on social media. It is about protecting people and publicly recognising that the fear that many people live with is real. It is about demonstrating leadership, not waiting for things to get worse. To be clear, the tensions that we see in our community are not caused by the people who have come to live there; they exist because our community needs more resources and help. They are about people not having housing or access to enough money to pay for food, as we have heard from the Trussell Trust, which has released its 'Hunger in the UK' report. In Northern Ireland, 130,000 children are going hungry, and 520,000 are in food insecurity. I ask everyone to come together in the Assembly to vote in favour of the motion, because we all must condemn sectarian and racist attacks not just in words but with commitment and because we recognise that elected representatives must be clear, unequivocal and consistent in their language, especially in the aftermath of attacks. Communities need a refreshed good relations strategy with tangible actions now, because there is a housing crisis that demands urgent cross-departmental interventions. I look forward to hearing from the Minister about what is happening on that. Minister, I appreciate that you have responsibility for housing, but you also have a responsibility to help to build a truly inclusive and welcoming society. I hope to hear today the specific actions that you and your Department are delivering to stop the spread of hate and disinformation and the breakdown of community cohesion. Let us show that the Assembly can act. Let us show compassion, leadership and moral clarity. Let us vote for the motion for the safety, dignity and future of every person in Northern Ireland, irrespective of their background.

1,534 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:16 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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