‘My kids are crying’: list of targeted addresses stokes fears across Belfast

Tradespeople replace the front doors of boarded-up houses in Belfast on Thursday. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Tradespeople replace the front doors of boarded-up houses in Belfast on Thursday. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images ‘My kids are crying’: list of targeted addresses stokes fears across Belfast People in city’s minority ethnic communities speak of alarm as violence casts light on racism in Northern Ireland A s widespread violence broke out in Belfast , a list of addresses began circulating on social media. Spread geographically wide, on dozens of streets across the city, the addresses were reportedly houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) where immigrants live. Joseph and Solomon, both from Eritrea, came to Belfast as refugees, now have leave to remain, and work full-time. They live on the same street as one of the properties on the list, but Joseph thought it was theirs that was meant to be on it. “It’s obviously for us,” he said. “I don’t know how to feel,” he said. “When something is too much, you don’t feel anything.” Until now, Joseph, who works as an interpreter, has felt safe in Belfast. “The majority of the people out there are good,” he said. But now he is planning to leave. “I don’t know where, somewhere safe. I’m planning my escape.” Solomon, who works for a manufacturing company, said: “I couldn’t go to my work for my shift; I feel it’s not safe.” He is also planning to leave Belfast. “I don’t know where,” he said. “I have to decide tomorrow maybe, a place with security.” As the Guardian finished talking to the men, a white woman came out of her house nearby to check we were not there because of the list. She asked: “Are you reporters or something?” “I’m petrified,” she said. “It’s really upsetting and I want to cry. I just wanted to check you weren’t giving them any bother, because they’re lovely.” Paul Doherty runs a community solidarity hub in south Belfast. On Wednesday night, he was in the centre, when a car pulled up outside. “It was a mother and she was just in hysterics crying,” he said. “I looked in the back of her car and there was three kids and they were crying in the car and she said that their house had been listed on a social media post.” Her children had seen the post. “She didn’t want to go home. The kids didn’t want to go home.” In response to the post, he said, community members have quietly stepped up, looking out for their neighbours. “There were people actually looking out,” he said, adding: “Someone had probably already been at her door when she was out, just driving around, circling.” 1:00 Cleanup footage shows aftermath of Belfast anti-immigration violence – video The list has stoked a culture of fear that is permeating Belfast’s small minority ethnic communities. As have the violent attacks over the last two nights. On Wednesday night a mob tried to attack a hotel housing asylum seekers, but when they could not reach it as the way had been blocked by police, cla