North Belfast: Violent Attack

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for both his service in this House and his decades of service in Northern Ireland. What we have seen reminds all of us quite how challenging it has always been to be a representative in Northern Ireland, and we are so grateful for the work that he has done.

It is important that we call for calm in Northern Ireland and across the country in the coming hours and days. I am pleased to see that has been the case across the political spectrum. In terms of the glorification of terrorism, there is no excuse for glorifying a proscribed organisation. It is illegal, as it should be.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab)]

My Lords, I totally condemn the brutal and barbaric attack on Stephen Ogilvie, and I wish him a full and speedy recovery. I commend the first responders, the PSNI, and members of the community who apprehended the assailant. We then witnessed in the aftermath the uncontrollable violence that spilled on to the streets of Belfast. Does my noble friend agree that such violence seemed to concentrate, like a pogrom, on people of colour, and that it is important to adhere to the principle of diversity, which is the very essence of humanity?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

What we saw overnight is violence and disorder of the most shocking kind, using one of the most horrendous attempted murders, which we all unfortunately saw because it was spread across social media. We need to remember and contextualise what has happened in the past 24 hours, and what it led to. Some 27 people were made homeless last night because people went door to door to target foreign nationals and burn them out of their homes. I can only imagine their terror. The youngest victim to be moved from her home was two years old. I do not think any of us will ever be able to forget the image of a nine year-old child and their family being put in the back of a Land Rover as they were rescued from violent, racist thugs who sought to undermine their sense of belonging in a country that many have lived in for decades. It is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. As I should have said to the noble Lord, Lord Dodds, these people, the original perpetrator and those who have acted with such dishonour over the last 24 hours, will face the full strength of the law.