Police in Belfast have initiated a significant security operation due to escalating tensions between anti-immigration and anti-racism protesters in the city centre.
The groups have been exchanging insults, and a small number of fireworks and other projectiles have been thrown in front of City Hall.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has deployed vehicles and officers in riot gear to separate the groups. One person was arrested and taken away in a PSNI car amid the heated exchanges.
Hundreds of people gathered for an anti-racist counter-protest following social media calls for an anti-immigration demonstration in response to the recent murders of three young children in Southport. The anti-racist rally featured speeches, anti-Nazi chanting, trade union banners, and Palestinian flags.
Meanwhile, across the road, anti-Islamic protesters chanted “Islam out” and displayed union flags. The anti-Islamic protest also included Irish Tricolours as a delegation from Coolock, Dublin, joined the demonstration.
As the confrontation between the opposing groups intensified, police intervened to maintain order and separate them. Several roads in Belfast have been closed due to the ongoing protest activity, according to the PSNI.
The PSNI has stated that they are “aware of several planned protests across Northern Ireland today and will be in attendance to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”
In a related incident in Southport, England, eight people were arrested and three police officers were hospitalized following overnight riots.
