Today the trade union movement stands with the victim of a horrendous knife attack in north Belfast, and his neighbours who came out and defended him. We stand with the emergency services who addressed the scene and are caring for his serious injuries on hospital. We stand with the police officers who arrested the assailant and all police officers who have, in turn, faced appalling violence which has no motive beyond raw racism. We stand with all families whose property has been targeted and their safety put in danger by thugs hiding their faces behind masks and scarves. We stand with the workers and business owners forced to close their shops and services as threats were made on social media and in person,
said Gerry Murphy, ICTU Assistant General Secretary.
We stand against the criminals who are attacking people, property and public services. We also stand against those who feed these flames with loose talk about ‘illegal immigration’, ‘invasion’ or ‘alien cultures’. We stand with all victims of knife crime, regardless of their background and regardless of the background or ethnicity of their perpetrators.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions stands with communities afflicted by fear and violence as we have done so many times in the past and will continue to do so.
