Concern over not just racist attitudes and intimidation but actual physical attacks has been growing across Ireland, north and south, for some time, and has now reached alarming levels in a number of areas.
An entirely legitimate and separate debate has developed over the nature and location of facilities required for refugees, particularly in Dublin, and also the perception that insufficient consultation has taken place with both politicians and those living nearby.
It is extremely unfortunate that it has been accompanied elsewhere by disgraceful threats against vulnerable individuals and even determined attempts to stage violent confrontations with Garda officers.
Similar trends have been on display in other cities and towns on both sides of the border, with among the most disturbing incidents to date happening in Larne, Co Antrim, in recent days.
One family, including two young children, was forced to flee after their windows were smashed and graffiti with the crude message “Get out” was sprayed on their home on Sunday night.
It needs to be stressed that the victims were not newly-arrived asylum seekers but residents, understood to be originally from eastern Europe, who were well integrated into the Co Antrim community.
The attack is being treated by police as a racially motivated hate crime, and detectives are also investigating a potential link with arson attacks on two other houses, all taking place within a 15-minute period. In both cases petrol bombs were thrown through windows, causing scorch and smoke damage.
In addition, some hours later, police received a report that two men, one said to be armed with a gun, tried to force their way into a home, striking the householder in the face before escaping from the scene.
While a motivation has yet to be confirmed, the use of a gun reflects a disturbing escalation which must be treated with considerable seriousness and the level of organisation can only led to fears that a paramilitary group was involved.
It will be accepted that no section of society has a monopoly on racist sentiments, but it has been well documented that a long list of deplorable episodes have been concentrated in loyalist neighbourhoods.
The coordinated appearance of Nazi swastikas in Antrim town earlier this month followed the previous display of blatantly racist messages in and around a large bonfire in an adjacent estate, with repeated outbreaks of arson also destroying a multi-cultural centre in a loyalist part of south Belfast.
Some unionist politicians have strongly condemned these appalling crimes but others have either offered equivocal responses or remained largely silent.
It is essential that all responsible elected representatives should make it clear law-breaking will not be tolerated, wherever it occurs, with police ensuring that the culprits are brought before the courts without delay.
It is essential that all responsible elected representatives should make it clear that law-breaking will not be tolerated, wherever it occurs
