Four men charged over violence after anti-immigration protests in Belfast

Stormont’s Justice Minister Naomi Long hit out at the radicalisation of people online ‘through disinformation and outright lies’.

PSNI officers man road blocks in Belfast on Saturday (David Young/PA) (PA Wire)

Four men have been charged by police investigating violence and disorder which followed an anti-immigration protest in Belfast on Saturday.

The charges come as Stormont’s Justice Minister, Naomi Long, hit out at the radicalisation of people online “through disinformation and outright lies”.

Several businesses were attacked following violence which erupted in the city after anti-immigration protests on Saturday. Business owners have said the Islamic community was deliberately targeted.

Police mounted a significant security operation during a lengthy confrontation between anti-Islamic protesters and those taking part in an anti-racist rally at Belfast City Hall during which fireworks and other missiles were thrown.

The force said it then prevented an attempt by protesters to march to Belfast Islamic Centre, but that sporadic violence broke out in other parts of the city.

Three police officers were injured in the disorder and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said those involved will be dealt with “using the full force of the law”.

Four men will appear in Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday on charges linked to the violence.

A 53-year-old has been charged with resisting police, three counts of assault on police and disorderly behaviour.

Meanwhile, a 46-year-old man has been charged with disorderly behaviour and resisting police.

A 38-year-old has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of fireworks without a licence, and riotous behaviour. He also faces the charge of disorderly behaviour.

A 34-year-old has been charged with taking part in an unnotified public procession.

Ms Long said if there were any lessons to be learnt from the policing operation at the weekend, she had no doubt the PSNI would learn them.

She told the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme: “We have people in our community this morning who have invested their lives in building businesses, in settling into our community and in providing services to our community, who have now seen their entire livelihoods wiped out in one night of sickening violence and that has to stop.

“We are already seeing now on social media people making preparations for another round of this this week.

“This cannot continue, we cannot have this kind of Islamaphobia, xenophobia and hatred on our streets.

“People have a right to an opinion, when it comes to immigration, but it needs to be an informed opinion, what we are seeing instead is radicalisation of people online through disinformation and outright lies.

“It is incredibly dangerous.

“If there are lessons to be learnt around the policing operation I have no doubt whatsoever they will be learnt.”

Policing Board chairman Mukesh Sharma described the violence in Belfast as “deeply depressing and disturbing”.

He added: “As a board, we join in the condemnation of all those who engaged in this disorder, and we welcome police commitments to bring all those responsible to justice.

“There is no place for hate in our community.

“We all have a real job of work to do to provide reassurance to the community that the violent actions of a few are not representative of our society.

“I welcome the increased police engagement at this time with affected and concerned communities, and also trust that all those officers injured in the course of the disorder make a speedy recovery.”

Meanwhile, the Alliance Party has submitted a recall petition calling for the Northern Ireland Assembly to be recalled to discuss the violent scenes.