NI Conservatives’ spokesman, Mark Brotherston, has called a series of racist attacks, which have taken place across Belfast, “absolutely reprehensible”.
“The latest incident involved an attack on the home of a Polish woman and her son in Templemore Avenue, but there have been similar incidents in various parts of the city”, Mark explained. “All hate crimes are completely disgraceful. With so many young people leaving these shores over the years, to look for work elsewhere, you would expect some empathy toward the people who have immigrated to Northern Ireland. The core strength of the UK is its sense of inclusivity, with its diverse population.”
“The vast majority of immigrants are here to work hard and contribute positively toward our society. It’s unfortunate that some groups have chosen to scare-monger and stir up ill feeling against them. The people who commit these acts do not own their communities and they do not speak for our society. There is no place for hate crime in Northern Ireland. It is incumbent upon us all to challenge these mind-sets and to bring any information to the police, in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.”