Anti-racism rally in Belfast after days of violence

Demonstrators gathered in Belfast city centre to show for Northern Ireland's migrant community following a week of disorder.

People in the crowd held signs with slogans such as "racists go home", "refugees are welcome" and "diversity makes us stronger".

Violence started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena, County Antrim, and later spread to other areas.

Two more men have been charged over rioting on Saturday - one a 23-year-old over disorder in Ballymena; the other a 20-year-old over violence in Portadown, County Armagh, on Friday night.

Both are due to appear in court on Monday,

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said "bigots and racists" were behind the rioting.

Speaking at the anti-racism rally at Belfast City Hall, Nathalie Donnelly from trade union Unison said she had colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds who were terrified and "basically hiding at home".

"They get to work in taxis, come home and hide in their own houses," she told BBC News NI.

"We've got a small English class every week - half of the students didn't even dare to come out for the English class."

Ms Donnelly said even people who had lived in Northern Ireland for a long time had an "overwhelming sense of sadness and disgust at what is happening and are really questioning staying here".

Ms Donnelly, who is originally from , said she had "made Ireland [her] home" but she felt it was "no longer the Ireland that [she is] proud of".

"We should make Ireland the island of a hundred thousand welcomes again," she said.

Friday night saw a fifth night of violence when police in Portadown, County Armagh, used water cannon to tackle rioters who were attacking them.

Officers were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles.

Police in Londonderry also dealt with disorder in the Tullyally area from Friday night into Saturday morning.

Damage was caused to playing fields and property in Killeavey Road in Newry in County Down when a large group of people set a pitch and bins on fire.

Stones were thrown at the windows of a hotel in Newtownabbey and a car was set on fire in Hesketh Gardens in Belfast, which police are treating a racially motivated hate crime.

At the demo at City Hall, Belfast's deputy lord mayor said he wanted to show solidarity to people who had been targeted in the unrest.

Representatives of other political parties and trade unions ed Paul Doherty at the event and there was a small police presence.

Doherty said the demonstration was about standing up to "racist thugs who have been on our streets intimidating and threatening families and driving them from their homes".

"We're speaking to people right across this city, indeed right across the north, who are afraid to walk down the street, who are afraid to bring their children to school, who are afraid to say hello to someone as they them on the street," he said.

Doherty added that one parent told him their children were asking: "Daddy why do people hate us out there":[]}