Northern Ireland immigration riots: Former PUP deputy leader Dr John Kyle says both racist 'thugs' and 'middle class liberals' at fault
Former PUP deputy leader John Kyle has warned that both racist "thugs" and "middle class liberals" are at fault as anti-immigration violence continues in Northern Ireland.
The retired GP is a former Belfast City Councillor in inner east Belfast and a former Deputy Leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), which represents working class loyalist areas.
He was speaking as the PSNI reported further race-related attacks on property in south Belfast with officers coming under attack in the east of the city overnight into Friday.
The PSNI has this week arrested 22 people after violence broke out following anti-immigration protests in the city on Saturday.
"We are in a difficult situation with multiple factors contributing to all this," Dr Kyle told the News Letter.
"There are also two sets of people making scapegoats; thugs scapegoating ethnic minorities and middle class liberals scapegoating loyalists."
"As some have pointed out, there has been chronic underfunding of public services and this has the greatest impact on the most disadvantaged communities."
He also argued for a comprehensive response to the problems which would address concerns raised by people from all sides of the debate.
"We do need some longer term planning to revitalise places like Sandy Row, a strategy to support these communities to assimilate newcomers and a rigorous response with strong sanctions against racist troublemakers,” he said.
Mr Kyle left the PUP in 2022 to join the UUP over differences over the NI Protocol.
Some of the worst violence in the past week has occurred near the Sandy Row area of south Belfast.
Suspects from a range of areas are being speedily processed through the courts.
Police have appealed to the public to not allow criminals to hide in their communities, following the further night of disorder.
A Major Incident Public Portal for people to submit information, images and footage has been established on www.mipp.police.uk.
A number of further anti-immigration protests are expected this weeked in Larne, Belfast and Bangor.
The PSNI has asked the National Police Coordination Centre for 120 additional officers from Scotland to support the policing operation, which have been granted.
PSNI chiefs have currently cancelled rest days for officers and have directed them to work on extended shifts.