Belfast police have arrested three men for racially motivated hate crimes after a wave of street disorder that occurred on Woodvale Road and Rathlin Street. During the incidents, windows were smashed and a car was hijacked and driven into an estate agency. The PSNI detained the men, aged 26, 28 and 41, on suspicion of a number of offences. Meanwhile, violence has continued to escalate in the region, with part of Newtownards Road set on fire in east Belfast. Police rushed to put out the flames.
The PSNI says that the incidents were racially motivated, as other acts of violence were reported in the city in recent days. However, Superintendent Allister Hagan reassured the community that officers would maintain a visible presence in the area. He also said that the PSNI was investigating the events as racially motivated hate crimes and had established a Major Incident Public Portal for people to send in information and images related to them.
The unrest in Belfast has caused concern among politicians, with Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis issuing hard-hitting remarks. He spoke out after meeting with leaders of all five parties in Northern Ireland as part of efforts to restore calm. Lewis called for an end to the violence and expressed support for the rule of law and police officers on the front line. He also affirmed the need for dialogue: “I urge all those calling for protests at this time to take a step back. This is the moment for dialogue, not violence, and I would urge everyone to respect the rule of law and let the police do their job.”
With the violence taking on increasing proportions, the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, expressed deep concern about the situation in Northern Ireland. A Downing Street spokesperson issued a statement saying that Johnson had “spoken to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister about the violence in Northern Ireland and urged dialogue and calm to be restored”. Johnson also added that the way to resolve differences was through discussion and that he was going to keep in touch with the Northern Ireland Executive to find ways of defusing tensions
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