Record high number of racially-motivated incidents

The figures cover the 12 months to the end of June before the wave of recent attacks and disorder

The number of racially-motivated incidents reported to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is at a record high, according to newly published data.

They are averaging almost four per day.

The figures cover the 12 months to the end of June – before the wave of recent attacks and disorder linked to anti-immigration protests.

The number of racially-motivated incidents was 1,411, an increase of 144 on the previous one year period.

This is the highest figure since the data series began in 2004.

The PSNI say not all incidents are of the “level of severity” to constitute being crimes.

Of the 1,411 incidents, 891 were categorised as involving crimes.

Around 500 of the crimes involved violence against a person.

More racially-motivated incidents than sectarian ones

The data is produced by the PSNI on a quarterly basis and captures incidents and crimes with a hate motivation.

A number of years ago, racially-motivated incidents overtook those linked to sectarianism.

The trend continues in the latest data set.

There were 967 sectarian incidents recorded – that is down 254 on the previous year.

'Living in fear'

Amnesty International has expressed concern at the figures.

Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said they should be "a wake-up call to the scale of the problem now facing us".

“For too long, those behind these attacks have felt able to act with impunity, emboldened to carry out further attacks," he said.

He said some communities were "living in fear."

Mr Corrigan added that tackling racism and racially-motivated crime in Northern Ireland requires "not just a consistent response from the police but clear political leadership and effective strategies from the government".