A nurse on her way to work at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald was chased and intimidated by four masked men on Wednesday evening. The attack was racially motivated, according to the South Eastern Health Trust.

The trust said it was horrified by the incident and condemned the racist attack. It added that the nurse insisted on remaining at the hospital to care for patients, describing her behaviour as a stark contrast to that of her attackers.

Patricia McKeown, regional secretary of the Unison union, said overseas health workers were under threat following calls to arms on social media. She said it was not sufficient to call for calm and urged leaders to take decisive action.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt addressed the public disorder that took place across Northern Ireland on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. He paid tribute to firefighters and ambulance crews who faced attacks while responding to incidents. The minister said fire crews were prevented from reaching fires and assaulted while carrying out their duties.

Mr Nesbitt also moved to reassure the Health and Social Care workforce. He said the health system depends on international workers and condemned racist and xenophobic behaviour. He warned that preventing staff from reaching their workplaces could disrupt service delivery and would not be tolerated.

The minister stated that international colleagues are welcome and their safety and wellbeing are paramount. He urged any staff feeling concerned or vulnerable to seek support from their employers.