Foreign Correspondent S2025E21 - Not Welcome - Northern Ireland

Throughout the northern summer anti-immigration protests have taken place across the United Kingdom. But while angry crowds have scuffled with police outside hotels housing asylum seekers, the most shocking confrontations have occurred in Northern Ireland.  It's the least diverse region of the UK and racial hate crime is at record levels. This week Foreign Correspondent reporter Barbara Miller travels to the town of Ballymena where some locals are waging a war on migrants, attacking their homes and cars and running them out of town. 

Ballymena is no stranger to violence. During the conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics known as the Troubles, Ballymena saw violent attacks on Catholic homes, schools and churches. Now attention has turned to the Roma community who have moved there in large numbers.   In Ballymena there's speculation paramilitary groups active during the Troubles are behind the mob violence as hit lists of migrants' addresses circulate throughout the community.