I am glad that we stand together today in response to some of the worst days that we have seen in our society recently. It is important that we do so to send a strong message that we are united against hatred, racism and Islamophobia and that love and hope will prevail over hate. It is important that we send a message to the racist thugs who have attempted to destroy parts of our community over recent days and weeks that we will not tolerate it, that what they are doing is wrong and that it must stop. It is racist, sectarian and Islamophobic and it does not represent the people whom we represent. If we are to take society forward and build a better future for everybody, we must send that message and condemn what we have seen.

To our ethnic minority communities, I say that we support you, we stand with you and we defend your right to a life free from intimidation and discrimination. We see your fear and send solidarity to you. We value you. We see the part that you play in our society. You are a part of our society, and we want it to stay that way. You make our society a better place, and you are a part of us. Those who incited the violence will not win. People who have been responsible for criminal behaviour in recent days must be held to account by the PSNI and our justice system. There is an onus on us all as leaders in our communities and as elected representatives to stand together and call this out.

Discrimination has no place in our society. No one is born with hate in their heart; it exists and grows only through ignorance and fear and by allowing misinformation to win. When those who know better do not challenge it or call it out, they become compliant in allowing a narrative that is wrong to win out. We therefore have a responsibility as leaders in our areas to stand together against it and call it out. We must send the message today that we are opposed to this violence and that hope will win over hate.