A Sudanese Muslim man living in south Belfast has said he is so fearful after multiple attacks on his home that he now sleeps in a mosque.
Abdullah Ali, who has lived in Northern Ireland with his family for seven years, reported that his Housing Executive home has been targeted several times since last month.
In response to the attacks, Ali’s wife and 12-year-old son have moved to temporary accommodation in Newry, while he remains close by, sleeping in a mosque.
“I’ve discussed with my family—this area is not safe,” Mr. Ali told BBC News.
“I cannot safely sleep here. When they threw stones, the police came, but no investigation, no solution.”
Ali’s property has been repeatedly vandalised, with windows smashed by bricks and the front door kicked in.
Stones have also been thrown at both the house and Ali himself. He has filed three separate reports with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, documenting attacks on 12 July, 1 August, and 3 August—the same day violence erupted after an anti-immigration protest in Belfast.
Ali’s home is owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE).
In a statement, the NIHE confirmed they have been working with Mr. Ali for several weeks and that he is on the social housing waiting list.
“His areas of choice are those of high demand, but we will continue to work to increase his chances of permanent accommodation in the near future,” the NIHE said.
In the meantime, the agency has provided Ali and his family with temporary accommodation.
The attacks on Ali’s home are part of a wider increase in racist incidents across Northern Ireland.
On Thursday, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons reported that 131 hate crime incidents had been reported to the NIHE in the last year, with 22 incidents occurring in the first week of August alone.
Ali expressed concern for his family, stating that his son, who had come to Northern Ireland to learn English and receive a good education, now feels isolated and wants to leave.
“My son wants to leave,” Ali said, adding that the recent surge in racist attacks has left many Muslims in Northern Ireland feeling similarly unsafe. “All Muslims now are thinking like me—to leave,” he said.
A large anti-racism protest took place last weekend in Belfast city center, where thousands of people demonstrated against the rise in racist incidents.
SOURCE: https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/europe/im-so-scared-i-sleep-in-a-mosque-belfast-muslim-after-riots/
