Tomás Ó Flatharta

“Christian” charity has disappeared from North Antrim.

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Gordon Lyons Has to Go – by Eamonn McCann

The scenes we’re witnessing in Ballymena, Larne and elsewhere are vile and indefensible attempted pogroms. They should be utterly condemned by all.

These attacks haven’t occurred out of thin air, however.

In a context of community frustration at deprivation, waiting lists and crumbling public services, far right agitators are spreading racist lies on social media to blame migrants, and Unionist politicians have deliberately fanned the flames of their hate.

Last night, the DUP Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons posted the location of people sheltering from riots:

“It has been brought to my attention that a number of individuals were temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre in the early hours of the morning following the disturbances in Ballymena.”

The leisure centre was attacked later that evening – motivated by sheer racism. Gordon Lyons should resign immediately.

Other Unionist politicians have been whipping up anti-immigrant rhetoric.

On Monday Paul Frew, also DUP, went on the attack about immigration in a session on violence against women, and also referenced the case of sexual assault which sparked the racist riots in Ballymena. Frew also railed about immigration in Ballymena in a debate on the 20th May.

The TUV’s Timothy Gaston beat the anti-immigration drum on that same day: “Migration puts pressure on hospitals, schools and housing: that is a fact.”

This is the racist playbook on display. It blames migrants and minorities for the problems in our society. Migrants didn’t underfund the health service, minorities don’t hike up rents, asylum seekers don’t keep wages down. These problems are caused by the super rich, by landlords, and by politicians who protect them

Unionist politicians bear serious responsibility for the hateful scenes of recent days. They dog-whistled and whipped up racist sentiments. Loyalist paramilitaries and far right agitators took the next logical step, attacking ordinary people and making them fear for their lives.

Don’t be taken in by the DUP, the TUV and the far right. Stand up for humanity in a time of fear and chaos.