Children’s tsar condemns violent scenes as ‘profoundly damaging’ to young people

People living in areas where serious disorder broke out on Tuesday night have told of their children being “very scared” amid rioting.

Mobs set homes, a bus and cars on fire a day after a man was violently attacked in Belfast in an incident on Monday which was filmed and widely shared online.

Sudanese man Hadi Alodid appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife.

Amid concerns of school closures because of the threat of more disturbances on Wednesday, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said he understood and supported “people who make that decision to make sure they’re keeping their schoolchildren, their employees, their businesses safe”.

Education Minister Paul Givan said: “Every effort should be made to minimise disruption to teaching and learning.

“Timetabled public examinations will go ahead as planned this afternoon, and schools should make every effort to remain open for pupils sitting exams.”

The Northern Ireland Education Authority said schools should take individual decisions on whether to close, adding that “a blanket decision regarding closures for the whole of NI would be neither practical nor proportionate”.

Regarding the wider effects of the violent scenes, Mr Givan said he is “conscious of the impact on children and young people, particularly those from a minority ethnic background”.

He added: “Our school communities provide welcoming and supportive settings where all children can learn, play and grow up together.

“The department will actively work with a range of partners to provide appropriate assistance to any schools or pupils impacted by recent events as their safety and wellbeing are my department’s highest priority.”

Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People Chris Quinn branded Tuesday’s scenes of disorder “profoundly damaging” to children who saw what happened.

He said: “I am deeply concerned by the events of the last 48 hours in Belfast, and in particular by the horrible and deeply troubling attack in north Belfast.

“The subsequent violence, intimidation and racism have no place in our society, and they are profoundly damaging to children and young people who are witnessing and living with the consequences.

“What we have seen is robbing children of their right to live in safety and with an adequate standard of living. These rights are not optional – they are protected.”

The commissioner said children must be “protected from harm, fear, and discrimination”, and be able to “grow up in secure, supportive environments”.

He called on parents to speak to their children and “challenge racism” while ensuring they know “violence and hatred are never acceptable”.

Mr Quinn added: “I am especially concerned about the impact this is having on children and families who are already vulnerable. No child should feel unsafe in their home or community, or fear because of who they are, where they come from, or how they are perceived.

“I urge parents and carers to speak with their children about what is happening, to challenge racism, and to help children understand that violence and hatred are never acceptable. Children and young people must also be protected from those who seek to exploit fear and division for their own ends.

“I am concerned with regards to who is orchestrating this violence. Let us be clear that they are not operating with the best interests of Monday night’s victim in mind, nor of the young people they are seeking to involve in this violence.

“This moment demands clear, responsible leadership. What is needed now is calm, accurate information and a focus on protecting children and communities – not point‑scoring or the spreading of misinformation, some of which we have regrettably witnessed.

“Racism and violence must be called out wherever it occurs, and it must end. Statutory bodies must work together urgently and effectively to keep children and families safe, to uphold children’s rights and to restore a sense of security in our communities.

“Children are watching how we, as adults and as society, respond. We must show, through our actions as well as our words, that their safety, dignity and rights come first.”

Security minister Dan Jarvis said young people must be “diverted from paths of criminality” as he described being “struck with the presence of young people taking part” in Tuesday’s disorder.

He told the Commons efforts are under way to look at “the extent to which any of this criminality and disorder has been directed by paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland”.

Dame Karen Bradley, a former Northern Ireland secretary, claimed young people had been “incited both by what they’ve seen on social media, but also by those gangmasters who have groomed those young people into committing violence day in, day out across Northern Ireland”.

She asked for a review of how some young people are being “groomed” into what she termed “modern slavery”, to which Mr Jarvis replied: “I absolutely give her that commitment that, working with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office, we will do that.”