A trade union has warned of viable threats to health facilities and migrant workers as Belfast is braced for a second night of disorder.
Before Monday night’s brutal stabbing attack and the racist violence that followed across the city, black and migrant workers had been praised by the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt during a protest against visa rules at Stormont .
The Unison trade union has now said that “hate speech against the entire black and migrant community” has resulted in violence against the same workers and their families.
The union says they have reports of workers being followed to and from work, “viable threats” to health facilities and overseas workers as well as workers being stopped by vigilantes to check their ethnicity
They also report workers facing racism in work, being intimidated from their homes and feeling afraid to leave their home.
“They are care workers, nurses, classroom assistants and a host of other occupations delivering key public services,” a spokesperson said.
“They are here because our government and public services invited them to fill the critical shortages in these vital services.
“The hypocrisy of those behind the hate campaign is stunning.
“Sadly, North Belfast is no stranger to hundreds of brutal murders and attacks during and post conflict. The exploitation of this incident because of the ethnicity of the assailant is obscene and must be called out for what it is. This is not legitimate protest.”
The Royal College of Nursing has called on employers to keep their workers safe as further disorder is expected in Belfast. (Jeff Moore/PA)
The head of the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland, Professor Rita Devlin, also said many migrant nurses had been left scared to go to work.
“Some of these staff are the very same people who had to deal with the horrific injuries inflicted on an individual and they are now being prevented from going to work to help others. These staff are being traumatised twice,” she said.
After the stabbing incident in north Belfast on Monday night, Hadi Alodid (30) from Sudan has been charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie who has lost an eye.
He was further charged with threats to kill an NHS radiographer, telling medical staff “I will kill you” while being treated for a hand injury.
On Tuesday night, cars, homes and a Glider bus were burnt out as racist violence spread to multiple areas.
Bus and rail services have again been cancelled for Wednesday night.
“Racism has no place in our society and these attacks will have a detrimental impact upon many of our internationally educated colleagues who are working hard across all health care facilities in Northern Ireland,” Prof Devlin said.
Stormont’s Health Committee chair, Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, said the “deeply disturbing” scenes of violence were seriously impacting both health workers and patients.
“Healthcare workers work every day to care for our communities, often under immense pressure,” he said.
“Some workers are afraid to leave their homes, while others are facing significant disruption due to school closures and community tensions.
“This is having an immediate negative impact on services. Our health and social care system depends on the incredible dedication, skill and compassion of a diverse workforce.”