Nearly half of ethnic minority students in Northern Ireland have reported experiencing “racist bullying” and “harassment,” according to a European human rights watch dog.
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) is part of the Council of Europe and was set up to promote democracy and human rights in Europe.
Their report was conducted between 2018 and 2024 focusing on racism and intolerance in the UK.
Its findings are based visits to Northern Ireland, “documentary analyses,” and “confidential dialogue with the national authorities.”
Speaking to the BBC artist and justice activist, Njambi Njoroge, said the report’s findings did not come as a shock to her.
“I am not surprised by these statistics in the UK and especially Northern Ireland. This is something that happens to people every day,” she said.
“I experienced bullying through school. My roots are Kenyan-Irish – my father is Kenyan.
“It didn’t matter what colour you were, if you were different anyway racially then you were a target.
“I’m only 25, in that time when I was in school I felt I didn’t need to speak up about the racist experience me or my friends were having. It was just something that happened to us and was part of our experience.”
Njambi is set to speak in schools in Belfast to raise awareness and discuss the issue of racism in schools.
The watch dog stated that teaching “Black History and Roma, ‘Gypsy’, and Traveller history or decolonisation” should be mandatory in schools.
In the report the watchdog expressed it was deeply “deeply concerned” about the events that transpired regarding the race riots in August and increasing anti-immigrant graffiti and threats in Belfast.
In particular it raised concerned about a “significant recent increase in attacks, such as firebombing, against businesses owned by people with a migration background in Belfast” as well as similar attacks to places of worship used by religious minorities.
Speaking to the BBC, Muhammad Bashir said he feels he needs to be careful in the streets since this summer’s riots in Belfast.
Muhammad owned Sham’s Market in Sandy Row which was set alight during the race riots in August. This was the third time his shop has been subject to arson.
Muhammad said: “I don’t know if we can open it again or not.”
“When I walk on the street, I watch my back all the time wondering if I’m going to get back to my house safely.”
“We tried to make a claim to the PSNI. They said they would investigate the issue but nothing happened”
“The police are responsible to keep people safe. If the police can’t protect us who can do that?”
In the report, the ECRI also claimed that police have been reluctant to investigate racist attacks.
A spokesperson for the PSNI said “It’s totally unacceptable that anyone is targeted simply because of who they are or where they come from, they will do everything they can to prevent hate crime and detect those responsible.”
They added “Hate crime is underreported and I encourage anyone who is a victim to report it to police.”
Njambi said she wasn’t surprised about what Mohammed said.
“It makes us question how seriously these things are taken.”
“In terms of my future here in Northern Ireland, I personally don’t know if I can see myself raising my future family here.
“I love Northern Ireland and I love Belfast but you have to decide what kind of environment you want to raise your kids in.”