Some individuals from ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland are reportedly stockpiling food in their homes due to fears of potential race hate incidents, according to a Northern Ireland Policing Board member.
Rising Hate Incidents
Peter Osborne, a member of the Policing Board, highlighted that many people from ethnic minorities are 'anxious and fearful of what’s going to happen' this summer. This comes after disorder erupted in Ballymena last year and spread to other parts of the region.
Police figures reveal a significant increase in race hate incidents, with 2,367 recorded between April 2025 and March 2026, up 561 (31%) from the previous year. These figures represent the highest levels since records began in 2004/05.
PSNI Accountability Report
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher's latest accountability report to the Policing Board indicated that crimes with a racist motivation rose to 1,507 in 2025/26, up from 1,187 the previous year—an increase of 27%. The report also noted that victim satisfaction surveys showed 85.1% of victims believed the PSNI treated them with fairness and respect, with nearly 70% satisfied with their contact with officers.
During his remarks to the board on Thursday, Mr Boutcher expressed concern about the 'malign influence of bad actors spreading extreme and hateful disinformation on social media.' He backed a call by the parents of Henry Nowak, whose death in Southampton should not be 'used to create division.'
'There are those who decide to seek to use any incident in our communities to create misunderstanding, generate fear and provoke hatred,' Mr Boutcher said. He added, 'Offensive murals, banners and posters have recently been erected in parts of Northern Ireland. It’s incumbent on all of us to stand up to all forms of hatred.'
Community Fears
Peter Osborne, former chairman of the Community Relations Council, welcomed Mr Boutcher's comments. He noted that the report 'shows that race hate incidents and crime from a very high level are getting even higher, both numerically and proportionately.'
Osborne said he has heard from ethnic minority communities an appreciation of PSNI outreach at a senior level, but also of anxiety and fear about 'what’s going to happen over the next number of months.' He added, 'I even hear of people storing food in the house. To be clear what that means, there are people, because of the colour of their skin, believe that over the summer they may be so frightened that they or their families will not leave the house for long periods of time.'
He asked Mr Boutcher how the PSNI is preparing for the summer, given the presence of banners and social media posts promoting race hate. Mr Boutcher replied, 'We have a really good relationship with ethnic minority communities. I meet them regularly. We’ve had some really difficult major disturbances in the last two years. I’ve spoken to this board about me meeting families who weren’t reporting activity against them and never have, because there was an acceptance of it, and now they are reporting that.'
He assured that officers are 'always alive' to incidents elsewhere causing tensions that could lead to disorder in Northern Ireland. 'I do have some real concerns because of what I’ve seen happen this week, but we are ready for it, and we’re reassuring people,' he concluded.
