Northern Ireland's History of Fire as a Weapon of Fear Resurfaces

Recent anti-immigrant violence in Northern Ireland, including bonfires and riots, evokes the historical use of fire as a tactic of intimidation and expulsion. While the current targets differ from those during the sectarian Troubles, the underlying message of unwelcome and forced departure remains. The violence, particularly in Ballymena, appears to have been triggered by an incident involving two youths charged with attempted oral rape, leading to riots targeting the Roma community. Experts note that territorialism is deeply ingrained in Northern Ireland's social structure, contributing to rapid escalations of such unrest.