Paula Bradshaw says urgent action is needed on racism - as MLAs pass motion calling for review
The chair of Stormont’s executive office committee Paula Bradshaw has welcomed an Assembly motion calling for a review into the racist attacks during the summer – and calling on the first ministers to prevent it happening again.
The Alliance politician said that “racist and xenophobic attacks, causing fear to people and property damage, are occurring appallingly regularly”.
She said the First and deputy First Minister need to “come forward with concrete action to tackle this problem, while delivering change which will make all members of our society feel equally protected and valued”.
But opposition leader Matthew O'Toole has criticised the Executive’s “dither and deflection” on action against racism. His party believes that controversial hate crime legislation can help tackle the issue – but critics are concerned about effects on freedom of speech and expression, citing the experience of Scotland.
The SDLP politician said that a rise in racist attacks highlights “the need for stand-alone hate crime legislation”.
“I welcome the widespread condemnation of the horrific scenes that unfolded on our streets during the summer, but it will take more than warm words to stop those behind orchestrating this violence. This problem isn’t going to go away on its own, just last week we saw a child and its mother injured in my constituency when masonry was hurled through the window of their home.
“A review into what happened cannot just look backwards, it must include actions to ensure that this never happens again. While Executive parties claim they want to tackle this issue, we have no update on the Racial Equality Strategy and calls for stand-alone hate crime legislation have been rejected by the Justice Minister. This legislation is more needed than ever after the events of the past few months”.
MLAs backed the motion on Tuesday, which condemned ongoing racist incidents and called on Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little Pengelly to “urgently carry out a comprehensive review into the racist attacks of July and August 2024, to include what happened, why it happened and who was involved”.