Residents and health workers from minority backgrounds in Northern Ireland are afraid to leave their homes following nights of violent disorder. Addresses have been published online, petrol bombs thrown at houses, and masked men have chased a nurse on her way to work.

A Somali woman living in Belfast for a year said she received a police warning and spent a night outside the city. She has been unable to go to work at a laundry company for two days. She expressed fear of being attacked because of her appearance, but added that she hopes to remain in Northern Ireland permanently.

In Glengormley, resident Paul Sharkey described masked men setting fire to a van and pushing it toward his home on the second night of unrest. He said he was terrified and could not sleep.

At Donegall Road Primary School in south Belfast, principal Phil Massey reported that attendance fell from the usual 185 pupils to just over 80 on Thursday. He said most absent children were from newcomer families, and that parents told him they were too scared to leave their homes. Staff of Indian background also called in saying they were afraid to come to work.

Health workers faced direct intimidation. A nurse was chased by masked men while walking to her shift, according to union official Patricia McKeown. She said the nurse continued to work and highlighted threats made against overseas staff at Whiteabbey Hospital in County Antrim. The Belfast Trust confirmed that some staff received letters telling them to leave their homes or be burned out.

Community worker Twasul Mohammed said families from Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Eritrea were evacuated from their houses after their addresses were shared online and petrol bombs were thrown. They took shelter in a church.

Disorder also broke out in Portadown, County Armagh, where rioters damaged properties on Thomas Street. Local Methodist minister Darrin Thompson said police contained the violence on the following night.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 12 officers were injured and 16 arrests were made following the disturbances. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt described international workers as vital, and the Chief Professional Officers at the Department of Health issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and stating that the actions did not reflect the beliefs of the majority in Northern Ireland.

The unrest followed a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday that left a man with serious injuries, including the loss of an eye.