Fear and fallout three months on from Northern Ireland's race riots
Three months after violent race riots in Northern Ireland, residents reflect on the fear and social fallout caused by the unrest. The violence, which targeted refugees and people of color, was fueled by viral social media content and inflammatory rhetoric.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the real-world consequences of online misinformation and the role of social media platforms in inciting civil unrest and racial tension.
Image caption, Crowds clashed with police in parts of Belfast during the riots earlier this year
Daylight is still extending across the summer evening sky over Belfast when Maria looks out the window of the house she shares with her two teenage daughters and sees people across the road putting on balaclavas.
It is Tuesday 9 June and parts of Northern Ireland are engulfed in violence.
Buses are being hijacked and set on fire, with water cannon deployed by police to quell rioters, and people targeted because of the colour of their skin – these scenes will all be broadcast around the world over the next 48 hours.
Maria has lived peacefully in her home in a loyalist area of east Belfast for two years. Until now.
"I just panicked. I started to fill buckets of water. I even filled my [bath] tub," she said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in