Attacks against Roma in Northern Ireland continuing

On Wednesday evening, unknown perpetrators attacked the home of yet another Roma family from Romania in the Northern Ireland city of Belfast, breaking their windows. Police are investigating the case as a hate crime and say there were no injuries. Northern Ireland Police Chief Hugh Orde warned that the attacks on the Roma families, which have already forced 20 of them to flee, are damaging the economy and reputation of the entire region.

The attack was committed one day after approximately 100 Roma from Romania living in Belfast had to flee into a local church and then to the local community center to avoid becoming the target of racially motivated attacks. Many now say they want to leave Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the gangs who attacked, Orde said, “Those people are causing great damage to the economy of Northern Ireland and the reputation of Northern Ireland and it is simply unjust. The vast majority of local people obey the law and have welcomed these minority communities, who come here to work.”

The Romanian Consul-General in Belfast is to meet with the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie, to discuss the attacks. Marian Mandache of the Romanian NGO Romani Criss said the attacks in Belfast are the most recent in a series of similar incidents that have occurred in other European cities. In Northern Ireland there has been a recent boom in attacks against Eastern European immigrants in general.

Racial tension has been rising recently around Europe in proportion to the rates of migration and the economic downturn. In several countries, neo-Nazi and neo-fascist parties have won seats in the EP elections.