Sometimes It's not good to be right

This is one of the times I would have preferred to have been wrong. In my blog of 10th April I noted my concerns that we were likely to experience increased racist attacks in Belfast.

Today, Northern Ireland and Belfast and South Belfast hangs it's head in shame at the persecution of Romanian families at the hands, feet, bricks, bottles and hatred of those who have no idea or care about these people who wanted a better standard of living than they had in Romania - many escaping poverty and deprivation beyond what we could ever imagine.

Of course, out of such hatred and heartlessness, we have been able to lift our heads a little and be heartened by the actions of those who worked to protect, support and shelter those poor frightened men, women and children and we are advised they have now temporary accommodation for reflection and safe space.

Of course the planners and perpetrators of these unconscionable crimes need to be brought to justice and dealt with by the courts - there should be no hiding place for racists in Northern Ireland.

However, we also need to look for those who are using "race war" and playing into fears about cultural identity and nationality/"Britishness" as a way of influencing vulnerable and impressionable young adult men to do their bidding. Is this simply an outlet for getting an adrenalin rush now it is no longer about interface violence and the "other side" is no longer the opponent? Is it gang culture? and more importantly how can it be stopped before racial violence and sectarian violence become synonymous?

It's not enough to deal with the behaviour that's the easy part; fixing hate filled hearts will take longer and won't come cheap.