Fear and Fallout Three Months On from Northern Ireland’s Race Riots
BBC News NI explores the aftermath of the violent riots that engulfed parts of Belfast three months ago.
A Community Under Siege
Maria, who has lived peacefully in her home for two years, recounts her panic when she saw people putting on balaclavas outside her window. The rioting, driven by a video circulating online inciting violence against immigrants, led to buses being set alight and water cannon deployed by police.
"I thought: ‘If a fire starts, how do I get out of this?’" Maria remembers.
A Sense of Strangeness
Henry, who left Nigeria a year ago, describes the atmosphere during the riots as akin to feeling like an outsider in your own home. "You know definitely the lions are stronger than the sheep," he says, reflecting on the feeling of being targeted due to his skin colour.
The Riots Unfold
The riots began after a brutal knife attack was widely shared online, leading to calls for anti-immigration protests that quickly escalated. Protesters targeted refugee and asylum seeker homes but any person of colour became at risk, with rioters shouting "foreigners out."
Devastating Aftermath
Almost three months later, the impact continues to be felt. The Housing Executive reports 76 households presenting as homeless, while community workers believe the number is higher. Many were forced to leave their homes with only the clothes on their backs.
Online Support Network
In the midst of the chaos, a network of groups supporting migrant communities sprang into action via WhatsApp, helping over 200 people. They rushed into affected areas to evacuate those targeted, providing vital support during and after the riots.
"And even then," Anne from one such group recalls, "when we were down town collecting people, we were then also being asked to help."
