Paramilitary involvement ‘exacerbating’ anti-immigration unrest in NI

An independent report has warned of the need for urgent action to tackle the ongoing threat posed by paramilitary groups.

Paramilitary involvement in racist violence in Northern Ireland has served to “exacerbate” anti-immigration unrest in the region, an independent commission has warned.

The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC), which was set up to monitor progress toward ending paramilitarism in Northern Ireland, also expressed concern that members of the illegal terror groups were encouraging young people to get involved in the disorder.

In its eighth annual report, the IRC noted that the 2024/25 financial year was the first since records began to be collated in 1969 that there had not been a security-related death in the region.

While welcoming that “positive development”, the co