First Minister Michelle O’Neill has demanded a serious investigation into reports that police instructed minority ethnic nurses to present identification to masked men during last week’s violent disorder in north Belfast. She described any such advice as unacceptable and said it must be thoroughly examined.

Belfast experienced a wave of racist violence after footage circulated of a knife attack in the north of the city. Homes, businesses, and vehicles were targeted, and healthcare workers faced intimidation. A man has been charged with attempted murder over the initial assault.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt highlighted the vital role of international staff, warning the health service would collapse without them. He shared an account from the chief constable of a nurse forced to negotiate her way through a crowd of rioters at Carlisle Circus. Nesbitt said the PSNI chief took the matter very seriously.

In the assembly, O’Neill confirmed that both she and Nesbitt had heard from staff members about the alleged instruction to show ID. She said she raised it directly with Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who initially dismissed the claim but later accepted it warranted attention.

She asserted that no healthcare worker should ever be required to stop for a mob and present identification, terming the alleged instruction unacceptable.

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine became emotional while speaking about racial abuse towards minority health workers. She recalled being cared for by international nurses and doctors after the birth of her daughter, who has a heart defect, and called for such staff to feel valued and safe at work. She condemned the violence as wrong.

The PSNI confirmed it received reports of vehicles being stopped by masked individuals in the greater Belfast area. Officers responded immediately and maintained a visible presence to reassure the public and prevent further offences.

The disorder is part of a string of racist attacks across Northern Ireland over the past week, including two homes being targeted in Belfast at the weekend.