Back in headlines for wrong reasons

By Jim Fitzpatrick BBC NI Politics Show

Belfast was back in the global headlines this week for all the wrong reasons - hate crime, with a post-conflict twist.

Over 100 Romanian immigrants fled their homes in south Belfast following threats and attacks from racists.

Jackie McDonald said the UDA was not involved in the racist attacks

The scale of the exodus, the nationality of the victims, and the fact that there were pictures of an altercation between anti-racist protestors and the racists themselves, seem to be what gave the story national and international appeal.

Racism is widespread throughout Europe and the UK, although confined to a nasty minority. In the recent European elections the BNP secured two seats in the North of England.

Several thousand racist attacks are officially recorded each year across the UK. Many more probably go unrecorded.

What made the Belfast story so unique wasn't the original attacks - it was what followed.

I may be wrong, but I can't think of any other situation in the UK or Ireland where a whole group of families have been moved out of their homes into temporary accommodation in an emergency following racist threats.

Belfast is used to ethnic cleansing - based on religion - but this is a new form based on race.

I can't think of any other situation in the UK or Ireland where a whole group of families have been moved out of their homes into temporary accommodation in an emergency following racist threats

The danger for the agencies, police and others, is that they begin to look a bit like the UN did during the Balkan conflict.

They may see themselves as peacekeepers, but their actions can end up suiting the perpetrators more than the victims.

As things stand, there are 114 immigrants forced from their homes and in temporary accommodation.

The perpetrators, it appears, are by and large, free in their own houses, happy in the knowledge that there are 114 fewer Romanians nearby.

Because many of the immigrants were living close to areas where loyalist groups enjoy some support, and because there have been links in the past between the UDA and groups like Combat 18, suspicion quickly fell onto loyalists.

The UDA leader in south Belfast, Jackie McDonald, was quick to deny any organisational involvement. The police have said they do not believe paramilitaries were involved.

So if the main illegal groups weren't involved - even at the margins - why the rapid response to move the families? Does that mean we now have other groups operating in Belfast that are more dangerous than the UDA?

It's a confusing story that says much about the confused place Belfast has become.

On Sunday's Politics Show we'll take a look at the issue, and as MPs expenses are officially published Yvette takes a look at the big money mandarins at Stormont.

See you Sunday

Jim

PS - Overheard in the office, one female journalist's description of another: The Devil Wears Primark. Meow!