NORTHERN IRELAND is grappling with what government officials describe as a “permacrisis” of recurring racial violence, as internal documents reveal growing fears of instability and potential future displacement on a scale that could overwhelm existing emergency resources.
Confidential emails and meeting minutes obtained by investigative website The Detail and shared with The Guardian paint a grim picture.
The documents highlight growing concerns over attacks on immigrants, particularly in loyalist areas of County Antrim, and warn that the situation could deteriorate quickly if triggered by even a single local or international incident.
“This is a permacrisis situation due to the recurring nature of public unrest,” noted an official from the Executive Office of First Minister Michelle O’Neill during a multi-agency meeting on July 3.
The unrest peaked in June when mobs targeted the homes of Roma families and other immigrant groups in Ballymena, echoing previous violence in Larne and Belfast.
Officials briefly took the public housing register offline to avoid exposing potential targets and acknowledged the possibility of using Ministry of Defence sites as emergency shelters.
“Realistically (my view), secure MoD sites might be the only option,” wrote one Department for Communities official after a Larne leisure centre shelter was firebombed.
A growing network of vigilante groups, including one in east Belfast that challenges people of colour to show ID, has exacerbated tensions.
Stormont’s executive office says a strategic coordination group has been established to address the crisis.
“Work to tackle racism and hate is a key part of our wider good relations work to build a more inclusive place for everyone,” a spokesperson said.
But rights groups remain deeply concerned.
Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International, said, “The likelihood of more racist violence seems certain. What is less clear is whether the Northern Ireland authorities are ready to step up to keep people safe.”
Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Victims of Crime, Geraldine Hanna, echoed those concerns, stating that these: “were not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of violence and intimidation that has left many victims traumatised and entire communities living in fear.”
The violence subsided by mid-June, but officials warn the threat remains.