Racist hate crimes in Northern Ireland have reached record levels, with new police figures revealing a dramatic surge in incidents over the past year. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) recorded 2,049 race incidents and 1,329 race crimes between July 2024 and June 2025.
These annual figures represent the highest levels since the PSNI began collecting such data in 2004. The numbers show a significant spike, with 646 more race incidents and 434 more race crimes compared to the previous 12-month period.
Peak violence months
The reporting period captured two major outbreaks of race-related violence and rioting across Northern Ireland. August 2024 saw 349 race incidents - the single highest monthly total in two decades of data collection.
June 2025 recorded 345 race incidents, marking the second-highest monthly figure on record. Around half of all incidents and crimes during the 2024/25 period occurred in the Belfast area.
"Year of hate and fear"
Amnesty International described the past 12 months as "a year of hate and fear" in Northern Ireland. The human rights organisation said racism in the region is "out of control" and called for a new anti-racism strategy.
Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland director, branded the figures "shameful". He said: "This isn't just a headline. It's a crisis. Behind these figures are real people, real families, living in terror simply because of the colour of their skin or where they come from."
Call for urgent action
Corrigan warned that the situation has been developing for years. He said: "The racist riots in Belfast last summer, followed by the brutal attacks on migrant families this June, were not isolated. They are the symptoms of a society that has failed to confront racism."
The Amnesty director called on political leaders to treat this as a crisis. He said: "Hate crime thrives when politicians deliver words but no action. The Executive must show leadership and deliver an effective plan to tackle racism when the current ineffectual Race Equality Strategy comes to an end in a few months."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
