DUP leader warning to vigilante groups targeting migrants
Conor Coyle, Irish News, August 14th, 2025
DUP leader and East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson has said the law “must sit with legitimate authorities alone” in response to the appearance of vigilante groups targeting migrants in his constituency.
However, Mr Robinson says he and his party “will continue to highlight concerns around the UK government’s immigration policy”.
The DUP leader issued a statement to The Irish News as videos were shared on social media in recent weeks of groups of men, sometimes accompanied by women and children, patrolling the streets of east Belfast, stopping and searching migrant men and questioning them about their behaviour.
One video shows a man making reference to there being “too many undocumented men” living in the area and a lack of social housing due to the number of migrants that have moved in.
Footage from a social media video which shows a group patrolling the streets of east Belfast
The PSNI are investigating one video shared on Tuesday, July 22 where a man appears to be punched on a number of occasions as he lies on the ground, and have drafted in increased patrols to deal with the groups. The social media account sharing the videos has now been suspended by TikTok, while the PSNI have said the activity is “racism pure and simple”.
In the East Belfast MP’s first statement on the issue, Mr Robinson said DUP party colleagues have arranged to meet the PSNI to discuss the vigilante patrols.
“Law and order must always be the responsibility of the police, not any other group or individual. Colleagues have arranged to meet the PSNI to discuss these matters,” he said.
“We will continue to highlight concerns around the UK Government’s immigration policy and the impact it is having on communities, including on those who have come here through the proper channels and who are making an important contribution to society.
“The police face significant challenges, not least the pressures on funding which means there are not sufficient officers available to allow effective community policing. We will continue to press for funding to be delivered and will always be clear that upholding the law must sit with legitimate authorities alone.”
On Tuesday, Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said there was “no place” for vigilante activity in Northern Ireland.
“Any vigilantism is wrong, it must be condemned, it has no place in Northern Ireland,” Ms Little-Pengelly said.
Finance Minister John O’Dowd said he believed it was “pure racism, and the police need to be supported in dealing with it”
“Those people aren’t on the streets keeping anybody safe. They’re on the streets trying to impose their will on the communities.”
PSNI release images of people they wish to speak to as part of Ballymena riots investigation
Irish News, August 14th, 2025
Police are seeking to identify the 10 individual pictured in connection with serious disorder in Ballymena in June
POLICE have released further images of individuals they wish to speak to as part of their investigation into serious disorder in Ballymena in June.
The PSNI is continuing their probe into violence and attacks on officers that broke out in the Co Antrim town on June 9.
Dozens of officers were injured during disturbances that led to disorder in other parts of the north, while properties in Ballymena and elsewhere were also attacked.
Police have released images of 10 people , and urged anyone who can identify them to contact the PSNI on their 101 number.
“Can you identify the following individuals? Police would like to speak with these people, in connection with our ongoing investigation into a number of incidents of disorder and attacks on police officers since 9th June 2025 in the Ballymena area,” a PSNI spokesperson said.
“We are asking these individuals to come forward to police, or anyone who can assist in identifying these individuals.
“If you have any information or wish to submit photos and footage, including CCTV, mobile phone or dash cam footage please contact police.”
Community fury forces removal of 'sickening' Derry bonfire sign targeting drowned teenager
Garrett Hargan, Belfast Telegraph, August 14th, 2025
A “deeply sickening” sign bearing the names of a teenager who drowned and a former senior PSNI officer who survived a murder bid have been removed from a bonfire in Londonderry.
The pallet referencing Kyle Bonnes and John Caldwell was taken away following intervention from the local community, but other offensive signs remain.
There was widespread condemnation from politicians, with a nationalist MLA calling for all offensive items to be removed.
A sign warning Sinn Fein MLA Padraig Delargy that he is “not welcome” is still visible on the pyre, which is situated in a field above the Creggan estate.
The name of murdered soldier Lee Rigby can also be seen at the base of the bonfire.
Sources in the Creggan community said that “residents and activists” engaged with young people behind the pyre and that a sign containing the names of Kyle Bonnes and retired detective chief inspector John Caldwell was removed.
It is unclear if there are plans to add more items to the bonfire before it is lit.
The controversial Bogside pyre generally attracts more attention for material placed on it due to being built next to a busy stretch of road and in an area that is popular with tourists.
Kyle Bonnes (15) died in 2010 after getting into difficulties in the River Faughan. He and his friend, Glen O'Hara, were running from police.
Mr Caldwell was shot in February 2023. He survived the New IRA murder bid but continues to live with around-the-clock protection.
DUP MLA Gary Middleton described the inclusion of Kyle Bonnes' name as “deeply sickening” and has said that his office was in touch with the boy's family, who were “obviously upset”.
The pyre follows those that caused upset ahead of the Twelfth, including one in the Fountain estate prior to the Apprentice Boys parade which Sinn Fein branded “a naked display of sectarianism”.
‘A race to the bottom’
“I think this is clearly a race to the bottom and one which people right across our communities will be disgusted with. It's designed to cause maximum damage, and that's what it will do. I just urge people to reflect on that and to remove it from the bonfire,” Mr Middleton added.
Mr Delargy appears to have been singled out because he spoke against “anti-community” bonfires in the city, with the Bogside one linked to dissident republicans, and called for statutory agencies to remove them.
Additionally, the name of a serving PSNI officer appears between two drawings of crosshairs, with the threats described by the Police Federation as “reprehensible, abhorrent and disgusting”.
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan urged bonfire builders in Creggan to remove the “offensive signs” before it is lit tomorrow.
Mr Durkan said: “The signs that have appeared on a bonfire in the Creggan part of our city are outright wrong and deeply distressing for members of the community.
“If bonfire builders are insistent on going ahead with this pyre, I would ask that they at least show some basic respect, and do so without these offensive displays and the burning of signs, flags and other emblems.
“Burning the names of police officers, local politicians, and especially a young person who tragically lost their life, has nothing to do with cultural celebration. And I acknowledge and welcome that some of the most egregious signs appear to have been removed overnight.
“As someone who has been targeted by a bonfire before, I know it is a deeply unpleasant experience, and all these displays achieve is furthering hate and division in our city.
“This is in no way representative of the people of Creggan and their wishes. I would ask those involved in this bonfire, and those directing it, not to let themselves and their community down.
“There is a need for leadership across both of our communities to break the tit-for-tat cycle that leaves us facing these same issues year after year.”
Chief superintendent Gillian Kearney, area commander of Derry City and Strabane, said: “The display of names with crosshairs is an attempt to intimidate, which is unacceptable. While we are not the lead agency, we remain committed to working with our partners [...], as well as community representatives, to address issues linked to bonfires.”
Derry deserves better than incessant sectarian poison
Pro Fide, Pro Patria, Irish News, August 14th, 2025
THE recent eruption of outrage surrounding the Creggan bonfire in Derry is not just another item of summer news; it’s a stark, unsettling sign of how communal grief can be weaponised.
A placard bearing the name of Kyle Bonnes – a 15-year-old Protestant boy who tragically drowned in April 2010 – was placed alongside names like Billy Wright and a PSNI officer. The shock of seeing a child’s name used in this grotesque display of sectarian rancour is horrifying, and the swift backlash from both communities illustrates how wrong this act was.
Bonfire culture in Northern Ireland has often teetered on a knife-edge, its roots in tradition increasingly overshadowed by displays of triumphalism and antagonism. Yet few symbolic gestures have been as vile as this. To target a young boy who had no political or paramilitary connections – merely remembered for tragedy – is not protest; it is cruelty dressed up as spectacle.
Local leaders were rightly quick to condemn the act. Unionist councillor Darren Guy, echoing the feelings of many, labelled it “pure sectarian hatred”, highlighting how this act “re-traumatises his mother and his family”. And he was absolutely right.
Such incidents must force us to ask: what are bonfires meant to represent? Are they celebrations of heritage, or are they expressions of grievance that blur into contempt? In this case, the line was not just blurred; it was obliterated. Acts like this are not culture; they are poison.
Every time a bonfire becomes a battleground for sectarian messaging, it drags us backwards. The recent burning of Irish tricolours and Palestinian flags at another Derry bonfire only underscores a pattern: some scenes of “celebration” are indistinguishable from provocation.
Instead, Derry and the wider north should be embracing ways that unify, not divide. Sinn Féin’s call for authorities to take stronger action against dangerous, illegal bonfires is timely and necessary. As MLA Pádraig Delargy said: “There is no place in 2025 Derry for illegal bonfires… they are anti-community, anti-social and pose a threat to people’s well-being.”
One bright spark amid the embers is the growing use of beacons – metal cages of willow woodchips that burn cleanly, come with funding assistance, and explicitly forbid paramilitary or sectarian symbols. They prove that tradition can evolve.
So let’s set a new standard: bonfires that signal community pride, not pain. Let heritage be something to pass on, not a weapon to wield. And let us remember that in Derry – or anywhere in the north – a young life lost to accident is a tragedy, not a symbol.
The bonfire lights must reflect warmth, not hate.
‘Societal change’ needed to tackle worsening violence against women
Conor Sheils, Irish News, August 14th, 2025
THE CEO of a group that helps women escape abusive relationships has said Northern Ireland is seeing a crisis in violence against women and girls.
The comments come just weeks after the Maguiresbridge killings, brought to 28 the number of adult women murdered in Northern Ireland since 2020.
Speaking to The Irish News, Victim Support NI CEO Janice Bunting outlined the desperate situation.
“It is very hard to ignore the facts – 28 adult women have been violently killed since 2020. They are not just statistics but mothers, daughters, grand-daughters, friends – lives ended brutally and too soon,” she said.
“Northern Ireland’s femicide rate is the second highest in Europe. There is definitely a problem with anger, control, power and violence, along with how some men deal with and process their feelings.
“Our complicated past means there is a lot of cross-generational trauma and a history of violence against a heightened religious and patriarchal background.
“Recent statistics show that four out of five victims of sexual offences in NI are female, and half of all 16-yearold girls in NI will have been sent unwanted sexual imagery.
Vanessa Whyte and her children Sara and James were killed in Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh last month.
Women twice as likely to be murdered than in rest of UK
“Compared to the rest of the UK, women here are twice as likely to be murdered as a result of domestic violence. The rates of reported child abuse and sexual offences are far too high and we know that many of these intimate crimes are never reported to authorities, so the actual figures are much higher. Steps must be taken to address these issues.”
The comments come just weeks after Vanessa Whyte (45), and her children James (14) and Sara (13) were all shot dead at their home in Maguiresbridge last month.
Her partner Ian Rutledge (43) died in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital days later as a result of what was believed to be self-inflicted gunshot wounds. He is the prime suspect in the triple murder.
She was the 28th adult woman to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2020.
Mum-of-two Sarah Montgomery (27), was also murdered in Co Down in June. Zak Hughes (28) has been charged with her murder.
Ms Bunting went on to say that more needs to be done to tackle violence against women.
“The executive’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy has helped to bring the issue to the forefront, and has got people talking about the issue but this is a long-term issue which requires a complete societal shift in attitudes. It’s not something that will happen overnight,” she said.
“There is much work to be done in this area, it’s not just a justice issue – it’s cross-departmental and takes in health, education, communities and even infrastructure.
A complete societal change in attitudes is required if we want future generations to be safer.
“It is worth saying that there is brilliant support out there for anyone experiencing domestic abuse, and we, along with the other support agencies, will always do our best to provide the best possible advice, support and information to anyone who needs it.
“There is always more to do in this area – it’s something that our whole society needs to focus on really to create effective change and make future generations safer.
“There is still much to do. There are still people who do not know where to turn to for support.”
Catholic PSNI officers more likely to face a misconduct investigation
Connla Young, Crime and Security Correspondent, Irish News, August 14th, 2025
CATHOLIC PSNI officers are almost one-and-half times more likely to be investigated for misconduct than their Protestant counterparts, the only figures released by the force appear to suggest.
Details of the disparity between Catholic and Protestant officers under investigation emerged after “sensitive” figures for a single day were provided to the Policing Board earlier this year.
Requests by The Irish News for a breakdown of the total number of officers investigated by community background, and related matters, have been turned down by the PSNI on costs grounds.
The Irish News recently revealed that Catholics made up just over 17% of new recruits to the force.
It has also recently come to light that more than 80% of potential PSNI recruits live in mainly unionist council districts east of the Bann, while almost 90% of all officers reside in traditionally unionist areas.
Catholics comprise a third of officers in the PSNI
Now the one-day figures suggest that Catholics, who comprise one third of officers, may be more likely to be investigated by the PSNI’s Professional Standards Department (PSD), which investigates allegations of criminality and/or misconduct.
Figures provided by PSD to the Policing Board, and obtained by The Irish News, reveal that on March 13 this year 113 officers were subject to a misconduct investigation.
Of that figure 57.14%, or 65, were Protestant, while 41.97 %, or 47, were Catholic.
The statistics include the community background composition of the PSNI on March 1, and confirm that 66.34% of the officer workforce were Protestant, while 32.20% were Catholic.
Police ‘not complacent’ over misconduct fairness “
1.5 times more likely to face complaints
Based on the March 13 snapshot, Catholics are one-and-a-half times more likely to be under investigation than Protestants based on their approximately one third composition of the force.
Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said the figures “were a snapshot as of 13 March 2025 and on this day a total of 113 officers were under investigation by Professional Standards Department”.
“Professional Standards Department investigators do not have, nor do they routinely access, information on the community background of officers.
“It is also important to stress that the community background of an officer plays no part in determining whether there will or will not be a misconduct investigation.
“This is determined on the circumstances of the alleged or suspected behaviour.”
Mr Singleton explained that “investigations may close as unfounded or progress to a misconduct meeting or hearing”.
He also accepted that based on the figures proved to the Policing Board, Catholics were more likely to be investigated by PSD.
The number of officers under investigation are relatively small and minor changes in numbers are therefore capable of significantly skewing community background percentages
“The Police Service of Northern Ireland accepts that, on this particular day, the community background breakdown of these figures against the overall composition of the workforce indicates that Catholic officers were one and a half times more likely to be under investigation than their Protestant counterparts,” he Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said.
“The number of investigations and hence those under investigation does regularly change.”
Mr Singleton suggested the number of officers under investigation is low.
“These figures must, however, be viewed in the context of the low numbers involved,” he said.
“The number of officers under investigation are relatively small and minor changes in numbers are therefore capable of significantly skewing community background percentages.
“However, we are not complacent and will continue to monitor and re-port on the matter to both our staff associations and the Northern Ireland Policing Board to ensure there is both internal and external confidence in the fairness of our misconduct regime.”
Stormont's housing targets could be hit by decline in building of social homes
Andrew Madden, Belfast Telegraph, August 14th, 2025
Only 6,401 social homes have been built in the last five years, casting further doubt on Stormont's housing targets.
In June Communities Minister Gordon Lyons revealed budget constraints meant work on only around 1,000 social homes will begin this year — far short of the 2,000 needed to meet a Programme for Government commitment to start work on at least 5,850 by 2027.
Stormont has also committed to building 100,000 homes over the next 15 years, with at least a third of these being social homes.
The region is in the midst of a housing crisis, with demand far outstripping supply and more than 49,000 applicants on the social housing waiting list at the end of March.
Figures obtained by the Belfast Telegraph indicate work in this area will have to be significantly ramped up if the problem is to be dealt with.
In 2020/21, 1,304 social homes were built, compared to 835 in 2021/22 and 1,449 in 2022/23.
A total of 1,403 homes were built in 2023/24, and 1,410 in 2024/25.
In December 2024 Stormont launched its Housing Supply Strategy, which aims to deliver 100,000 new homes over the next 15 years.
In February the Programme for Government included a commitment to begin work on “at least” 5,850 new social homes by 2027, working out at around 2,000 new starts each year.
No confidence in NI Executive
SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said he had “no confidence that this Executive has what it takes to deal with the worsening housing crisis”.
He added: “Despite public pronouncements of plans to build 100,000 homes in 15 years, we have seen just 6,401 built over the past five years.
“Just a few months ago the Communities Minister had to admit they would miss their house-building targets for this year.
“The current social housing waiting list stands at over 49,000 and keeps getting longer.
“That's before we get to the people struggling to pay soaring rents, families who can't get a deposit together, or the many people living in unfit or unsuitable housing.
“The Executive is doing very little to combat these problems.”
The Department for Communities said: “Minister Lyons ensured that housing is a priority in the Programme for Government and secured Executive agreement for a Housing Supply Strategy.
“The Housing Supply Strategy and PfG together set out the Executive's ambition to deliver at least 100,000 more houses over the next 15 years, more if needed, at least a third of which will be social.”
While 6,401 social homes have been completed since 2020/21, the department said construction had commenced on 9,084 new social houses in the last five years.
“As of the end of July 2025, there were almost 5,500 social houses under construction across Northern Ireland,” it added.
“Responsibility for meeting the housing targets set out in the Programme for Government and the Housing Supply Strategy lies with the Executive as a whole, and achieving these targets will require adequate funding.”
