LAST UPDATE | 14 Jun 2025

AN ‘EMERGENCY RALLY’ against hate and racism was held in Belfast following days of racially charged violence in Northern Ireland. 

The rally, organised by United Against Racism, began at midday outside Belfast City Hall.

Hundreds attended the event at City Hall. The rally heard calls for political leadership in opposing racism.

The rally, which was addressed by trade union leaders and politicians, took place in driving rain.

Participants carried placards and chanted: “No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here” and “When migrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”

Addressing the event, Amnesty International Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said “the ugly face of racism has shown itself on our streets”.

He added: “We have come very close this week to the loss of life. We are just one petrol bomb away from racially motivated murder.”

Demonstrators take part in a United Against Racism rally at Belfast City Hall. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance deputy general secretary Patrick Mulholland told the crowd he was a native of Ballymena.

He said: “Let me tell you this, they did not speak for the people of Ballymena.

“The thousands who protested against potential sex crimes, they spoke for Ballymena – the handful who used that, who exploited that to terrorise their neighbours and terrorise immigrants, did not speak for Ballymena.”

Speaking to The Journal ahead of the rally, Ivanka Antova, chairperson of the Belfast branch of United Against Racism, said migrant communities in Northern Ireland have been left feeling scared, persecuted and blamed for crimes that they have not committed after this week’s violence.

“We’re hoping for a cross-community turnout that represents what we know is the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland, and on the island, who want an end to the racist riots and violence and the persecution of migrant communities to stop now,” she said.

Unrest spread across towns in Northern Ireland this week after violence first broke out in Ballymena following a vigil on Monday for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys.

Earlier that day, the boys had appeared in court and were charged with attempted rape, where a Romanian interpreter read them the charges. They have both since been released on bail.

What followed were riots and what police have described as racially motivated violence, with people forced to flee their homes due to the racially motivated attacks.

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I went to talk to people in Ballymena, and was told to make myself 'scarce' or there'd be trouble

PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo / Alamy Stock Photo

On Wednesday, masked youths attacked a leisure centre in Larne, which is located about 30 minutes from Ballymena.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, has since called for a DUP minister to resign because of a social media post he sent hours before the attack.

In the social media post, the DUP’s Gordon Lyons said the leisure centre was being used to accommodate individuals “following the disturbances in Ballymena”.

He has since said he would “strongly hit back at any notion” that he had publicly revealed the facility was being used to house immigrant families who had been affected by violence in Ballymena. 

O’Neill accused Lyons of “inflaming tensions” and failing to show proper leadership.

Includes reporting by Press Association