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TimesLIVE
17 hours ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Legacy of past hangs over anti-immigrant violence in Northern Ireland
At the outset of the "Troubles", some Catholics and Protestants were violently forced from their homes in areas where they were in the minority, and sectarian attacks remained common through three decades of violence and the imperfect peace that followed. "Sectarianism and racism have never been very different from each other," said Dominic Bryan, a professor at Queens University Belfast who researches group identity and political violence. "It doesn't totally surprise me that as society changes and Northern Ireland has become a very different society than it was 30 years ago, that some of this 'out grouping' shifts," Bryan said, adding such prejudices could also be seen among Irish nationalists. Immigration has historically been low in Northern Ireland, where the years of conflict bred an insular society unused to assimilating outsiders. There are other factors at play too, said Bryan. The towns involved all have big economic problems, sub-standard housing and rely on healthcare and industries such as meat packing and manufacturing that need an increasing migrant workforce. "The people around here, they're literally at a boiling point," said Ballymena resident Neil Brammeld. The town's diverse culture was welcomed and everybody got along, he said, but for problems with "a select few". "The people have been complaining for months and months leading up to this and the police are nowhere to be seen." While around 6% of people in the province were born abroad, with those belonging to ethnic minority groups about half that, the foreign-born population in Ballymena is much higher, in line with the UK average of 16%. Northern Ireland does not have specific hate crime legislation, though some race-related incidents can be prosecuted as part of wider laws. Justice minister Naomi Long pledged last year to boost the existing provisions but said the power-sharing government would not have enough time to introduce a standalone hate crime bill before the next election in 2027. While five successive nights of violence mostly came to an end on Saturday, the effects continue to be felt. "I'm determined I'm not going to be chased away from my home," said Ivanka Antova, an organiser of an anti-racism rally in Belfast on Saturday, who moved to Belfast from Bulgaria 15 years ago. "Racism will not win."
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
The killing fields of Gaza
Human conscience was brutally bruised when Caine killed his brother, Abel. The conscience is maimed since then. To resurrect humaneness, Abel went into serious 'regret'. He committed himself to reform. Since this event, mankind has oscillated between extreme behaviour of loss of conscience to the other end of the spectrum, where as testimony stands, the glory of human goodness. 'Killing fields' is an idiomatic coinage that emerged from the ruthless killing of over 3 million people by the government of Cambodia ( Kampuchea) between 1976-1978, when the inhuman Marxist dictator Pol Pot proudly displayed a hill of human skulls heaped upon each other, reaching a height of over 8-10 feet. The systematic genocide of the innocent got bracketed as 'killing fields'. Even in that era, that is pre-9/11, the hatred for Muslims was on the rise— 70-80% Cambodian Muslims were exterminated. The genocide by Israel is a locus of Cambodian violence. Gaza today is a scene of mass murder. History is replete with chaos, anarchy, wars, battles and all forms of confrontation between people. Encapsulated on the pages of blood soaked history of human behaviour is the tyranny unleashed by one human upon the other. The adage 'one man's hero is another man's tyrant' is at play all through. In equal measure is the miracle of humanity at its best behaviour of kindness, empathy, love and affection. Historians spin cobwebs of imagination to make bad actions look good. However no individual can justify the ordering of a tower to be built upon live men, who were stacked and cemented together with bricks. Queen Mary, who reinstalled Catholicism in Britain, following her marriage to Phillip II of Spain, put hundreds of Protestants on the pyre, from which she earned the infamous title of 'Bloody Mary'. She showed no sympathy; this characteristic was absent in her. Again gleaning from the folders of history we learn about the atrocities committed by the likes of Attila the Hun, Ghengis Khan, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, etc. The new additions to this infamously famous list are Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu; between the two is a keen contest of who takes the first position. Both are cruel, heartless, merciless and pitiless. They are instigators of blood-thirsty political philosophy. Their attitude is barbaric and callous. They are both guilty of maiming infants, slaughtering of wombs, mutilating bodies, and most inconceivable grotesque and gross indecent human behaviour. 'Man's inhumanity to man/makes countless mourn' (Robert Burns). Israel with impunity kills hundreds of Gazans every single day. The practice is so common, that even run of the mill condemnation messages have gone dry. There is total apathy and resignation to the situation, willy-nilly, the Israeli intransigence is acceptable. The belligerence is stark. The footages of mutilated bodies of infants being operated for implanting artificial limbs, of wombs being knifed, of children screaming in fear, of men and women lining up for seeking provisions and of Israeli soldiers indulging in rebuke, insult and thence point blank killing of the unarmed innocent Gazans doesn't move to tears any of the global leadership. This lends credence to the fact that humanity is dead and gone. The human conscience is scarred beyond correction. Regret, if it resides in the human heart gives a tumultuous reaction to every wrong done. The element of remorse and repentance acts as a catalyst to either undo the wrong or at least show by thought and action that sadness grips upon realisation of erroneous behaviour. Penitence must be seen and be in equal measure to the wrong done. This intrinsic and inherent mechanism works only where a sensitive heart resides in the human breast. Today's Ummah is heartless. If individuals who are devoid of humane feelings manipulate to get into leadership positions, they acquire the ways and means to perpetuate ruthless behaviour against fellow humans. Present day examples are Modi and Netanyahu. Gandhi invoked human conscience when he said, 'what difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy? (Of late, in comparison to Modi, I am beginning to see Gandhi as a saint). While, I am writing this piece, Netanyahu's Israel has attacked the brotherly country, Iran. Not surprised. It was coming. War is a hieroglyphics of nothing but all misery. The gates of hell get opened with arrival of war. The likes of Netanyahu and Modi invoke war for the youth to die. 'To call war the soil of courage and virtue is like calling debauchery the soil of love' (George Santayana). Cruelty is a consequence of a vile mind and often it proceeds from a cowardly heart. The cruel impulses of the leadership in the Middle East, Europe and across the Atlantic seek justification through more cruelty. 'Man when he is an animal is worse than animal' (Rabindranath Tagore). Pain of others gives pleasure of a primitive and savage nature. Sympathy, empathy and pity are natural to man; yet in violation of these intrinsic characteristics, man indulges in cruelty to the extent of being rightly called a savage, and Netanyahu is that savage. Natural and historical corrections of injustices perpetrated upon one another also are chronicled in history, except that it seems to come, a trifle late. Those who once were mightily acclaimed lie delivered into the abyss of oblivion. They are dust and bones. In the manner of how events have panned out post-Oct 7th 2023, one is compelled to wonder what exactly was the plan that Hamas wanted to execute and achieve. The quizzical paradox is: did Hamas not anticipate a virulent reaction from Israel when they launched the attack? Was Hamas leadership so naive? There are many intriguing questions that arise and remain unanswered. There could be no disambiguation of Israelis' intent and motives. It has heavily committed itself to evil design and objectives. In this pursuit they are aided by all—the United Nations and the all so- called pivots activated. The UN alongside the West is equally complicit in the crimes committed by Israel upon the unarmed and hapless, Gazans. Resolutions and statements against Israel are immediately backed up by commitments of sending fresh supplies of armaments to the notorious Netanyahu. Diplomacy, once a hallmark of decent nations, stands replaced with 'Expedient Duplicity '. The governments of those involved countries do not have the backing of their own people; otherwise how does one explain the voluntary marches taking place across the world against Israeli genocide? The Jewish Rabbis are part of protests and processions. All the hard work and efforts of South Africa to bind Netanyahu to global standards of peaceful coexistence have been totally wasted. There seems to be no interest to pursue peace in the Middle East. They have decided to use the Middle East as a theatre of war but also to keep it on the back burner, so that, whenever required, they can call upon the Zionists to unleash upon the unarmed people of Gaza. If the United Nations, West and the big powers of Europe, along with OIC, were to be serious in halting the human misery and inhuman conditions, they will have to be resolute in rewriting the history. The United Nations and the West must impose sanctions on Israel in the event of non-cessation of hostilities. Let there be clarity in the minds of the people that it is not Israel alone that needs to be tamed; it is also all the governments of the European Union and across the Atlantic. They are today as guilty as Israel. They continue to support and re-arm Israel. If UN has since its formation consistently failed in maintaining peace, let there be a global debate on its charter and its relevance today. May be it is time to house it in a funeral parlour or designate its headquarters as such. The verbosity of support must end with timely action. The inherent deception in these statements at best is servilely flattering the ruthlessness of Israel in its intolerable genocidal actions. There is reluctance and tacit refusal by the Ummah to be aroused from its slumber. By being an ostrich the Ummah is also complicit in its own ethnic cleansing. The essential principles of provoking good and forbidding evil are at stake. The values that demarcate human behaviour in respect of life and death, glory and infamy, stand totally smudged. This has led to utter helplessness and serious submission to brute power of in-humaneness. The silence of Muslim governments is piercingly loud. The decibel of infants' cries has reached dizzying heights, yet it seems to fall on deaf ears. The Ummah has lost its faculty of hearing. Insensitivity is at its zenith. Maira Salman, who is possibly not even hit her teenage years yet, wrote a moving poem, which her father, Muhammed Salman Butt, posted on a professional social media site. It is titled, 'Genocide, not War'. She writes, 'Lone arms and heads lay on the ground/ The rest of the bodies nowhere to be found/ The children cry ,as this is all they see/ Oh! My, Oh! My! Will this happen to me? /......In a corner a mother whispers low/ The fear of her child starting to grow/ My child is hurt with a permanent scar/ This is genocide, not War'. A genocide. Not a war. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Far-right agitator calls for Catholics and Protestants to unite against 'invasion'
A Far-right agitator and failed election candidate who has been sharing footage of rioting that erupted in the North this week has called on 'Catholics and Protestants' to 'unite against the invasion of our island'. Niall McConnell, a sheep farmer from Castlefinn, Co. Donegal, shared footage of the violence that unfolded in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, taken by a prominent former Loyalist terrorist, whom he later hosted live on his YouTube channel. The 36-year-old also wrote a series of posts in which he appeared to celebrate the shocking scenes in the North, which police said were instigated by 'racists and bigots'. Police line up to face riots in Northern Ireland. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire McConnell's online activity comes as far-right protests were staged in Limerick and Ardee, Co. Louth, over the weekend. In one message accompanying shared video footage of rioters burning down a property housing migrants, he wrote: 'Locals in Ballymena set migrants house on fire after local girls got raped! 'Enough is enough! Share this video to stop the chaos in our streets!' He went on to warn 'Ireland is at a breaking point!' and urged followers to join his political movement, Síol na hÉireann. In another post, he wrote: 'Tensions are high after two [REDACTED] raped local young girl! Protestants & Catholics MUST UNITE [sic] against the invasion of our island.' He also shared footage taken by former loyalist terrorist Mark Sinclair and urged followers to play their part in 'stopping the mass immigration invasion into Ireland' by joining his 'Christian nationalist movement'. Last month, reported how former loyalist terrorists attended an anti-immigration protest in Dublin as they continued to forge an unlikely alliance with tricolour-waving far-right nationalists in the Republic. Pic:) Although both groups are traditionally regarded as natural enemies, former UVF member and convicted armed robber Mark Sinclair told 'I'm making new brothers and sisters who are Catholic for the first time, it's amazing.' Sinclair – who has three previous convictions for armed robbery – said of the growing alliance: 'It's a big step in the right direction for an ex-loyalist and Protestant to be able to stand in Dublin amongst all those republicans with tricolour.' This week, the unlikely alliance continued as McConnell, who was eliminated on the 10th count in last year's general election, hosted Sinclair on his YouTube channel. McConnell referred to migrants, who contribute an estimated €3.7bn annually, primarily through taxes, PRSI, and work permits, to the economy, as the 'enemies of our island' and claimed they want Irish people to be 'annihilated'. Speaking on the live stream, Sinclair described himself as an 'ex loyalist prisoner' and said Catholics and Protestants need to come together as 'we cannot do this on our own'. Pic: PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images McConnell agreed, saying the two communities need to 'move forward'. He said: 'The enemies of our island couldn't care less if we are Protestant or Catholic, they hate us because we're white. They want us annihilated. That is the goal. There has to be unity. 'The same people who say 'Brits out, Africans in', I cannot understand the mental gymnastics.' PSNI chief Jon Boutcher this week warned his officers will be coming after the 'bigots and racists' behind multiple nights of disorder in the North. He said a young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena – an incident that triggered protests that descended into violence – had been 'further traumatised' by the rioting. Forty-one officers have been injured in the unrest, with riotous behaviour resulting in vandalism, vehicles burned, and arson attacks on properties in several towns. McConnell has been advertising 'says no' protests in Ardee and Limerick in recent days.
Irish Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Barry McGuigan column: When I look back on my life, I'm overwhelmed with sadness
As you might imagine, it's been a busy week. That people are still willing to mark the greatest night of my career 40 years after I beat Eusebio Pedroza to lift the WBA featherweight title is incredible. Thursday night in Bristol followed fantastic receptions in Monaghan in Ireland and Cannock. I have also contributed to a raft of TV and radio programmes commemorating the occasion. It is clearly very nostalgic for people as much as it is for me with so many with stories to share. It was a moment in time that saw almost 19 million watching live on telly. One woman called Valerie asked me to send her dad a note. He is 90. She was 11 when they travelled together on a bus from Bangor in Northern Ireland. When the celebrations were over, they got back on the bus and drove the whole way home. He said it was one of greatest nights of his life. It was a terrifying time in Northern Ireland and I did something that none believed possible, bringing people together. Leave the fighting to McGuigan was the slogan of the day. I'm as proud of that as I was of winning the title, giving people a sense of relief and joy in the middle of all that turmoil. I had supporters from the Falls (Catholics) and the Shankill (Protestants) travelling together at the height of the Troubles. The killings, the deaths, the hatred were all set aside for one amazing night. It showed the kind of support I had, and that is what I remember above all. Of course I recall the details. The BBC had never done a live outside broadcast of that kind before. That's why it was at QPR. It was only 200 metres to run back to the studio if anything went wrong. We had a weigh-in on the Tuesday at the Lonsdale shop in the middle of Soho on Beak Street. Pedroza shouted into the camera 'I kill you'. The whole week was incredible. And fight night was amazing with 14,000 people over from Ireland. A guy sent me a mock-up of the original poster. It featured the likes of Dave McAuley, Simon Eubank, Roy Webb, Gary Muir and David Irvine, now a WBC referee. I'm still friendly with him. I have not seen Webb or Muir since. Eubank died a couple of years ago and I'm still here and in good health. Honestly, I have had so much loss in my life, the overwhelming thought when I look back is sadness at losing my dad, my daughter, my brother and sister. But hopefully I'll still be around to celebrate the 50th, please God.
Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Barry McGuigan's night of glory and bringing Northern Ireland together
As you might imagine, it's been a busy week. That people are still willing to mark the greatest night of my career 40 years after I beat Eusebio Pedroza to lift the WBA featherweight title is incredible. Thursday night in Bristol followed fantastic receptions in Monaghan in Ireland and Cannock. I have also contributed to a raft of TV and radio programmes commemorating the occasion. It is clearly very nostalgic for people as much as it is for me with so many having stories to share. It was a moment in time that saw almost 19 million watching live on telly. One woman called Valerie asked me to send her dad a note. He is 90. She was 11 when they travelled together on a bus from Bangor in Northern Ireland. When the celebrations were over, they got back on the bus and drove the whole way home. He said it was one of greatest nights of his life. It was a terrifying time in Northern Ireland and I did something that none believed possible, bringing people together. Leave the fighting to McGuigan was the slogan of the day. I'm as proud of that as I was of winning the title, giving people a sense of relief and joy in the middle of all that turmoil. Anthony Joshua warned to avoid one opponent for comeback - 'He'd be flattened' Paddy Pimblett told only way to earn £20million is to quit UFC I had supporters from the Falls (Catholics) and the Shankill (Protestants) travelling together at the height of the Troubles. The killings, the deaths, the hatred were all set aside for one amazing night. It showed the kind of support I had, and that is what I remember above all. Of course I recall the details. The BBC had never done a live outside broadcast of that kind before. That's why it was at QPR. It was only 200 metres to run back to the studio if anything went wrong. We had a weigh-in on the Tuesday at the Lonsdale shop in the middle of Soho on Beak Street. Pedroza shouted into the camera 'I kill you'. The whole week was incredible. And fight night was amazing with 14,000 people over from Ireland. A guy sent me a mock-up of the original poster. It featured the likes of Dave McAuley, Simon Eubank, Roy Webb, Gary Muir and David Irvine, now a WBC referee. I'm still friendly with him. I have not seen Webb or Muir since. Eubank died a couple of years ago and I'm still here and in good health. Honestly, I have had so much loss in my life, the overwhelming thought when I look back is sadness at losing my dad, my daughter, my brother and sister. But hopefully I'll still be around to celebrate the 50th, please God. Follow Barry on X at @ClonesCyclone @mcguigan's_Gym.
