Condemnation of ‘racist attack’ on nurse ‘chased’ by four masked men on her way to work in Belfast

11 Jun 2026, 13:18 by Diarmuid Pepper, https://www.thejournal.ie/author/diarmuid-pepper/ · TheJournal.ie

LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago

A NURSE WAS chased on her way to work in a Belfast hospital on Wednesday night by four masked men, in what is believed to be a racist attack amid anti-immigration riots in the city.

The nurse worked her shift at the hospital, despite the attack.

“Her behaviour is in stark contrast to the behaviour of the people who terrified her as she tried to do her job,” the organisation that runs the hospital where the nurse works said in a statement.

It comes amid multiple reports of overseas workers being targeted and intimidated in the disorder that has erupted following a knife attack in Belfast on Monday night.

“This is happening to anyone, whether they be nurses or social care workers or working in factories,”said Patricia McKeown, regional manager of the trade union Unison. She noted that anyone who has been targeted so far “has a different skin colour or who comes from overseas”.

“There is no excuse for any of this. This is racism, pure and simple.”

The family of the knife attack victim, Stephen Ogilvie, have said they feel “disgusted” by the disorder that has broken out. In a statement, his family praised the work of many migrants who “make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including from within our healthcare system and hospitality sector”.

The South Eastern Trust, which oversees the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, Belfast, where the nurse works, said it is “horrified that a nurse on her way to work was chased and intimated”.

It condemned the “racist attack” and added that the “nurse bravely insisted on remaining in the Ulster Hospital to care for the most vulnerable in our community”.

‘Racism, pure and simple’

McKeown told BBC Radio Ulster that the nurse “insisted on doing her shift” despite the “trauma” of what happened, and that alternative accommodation was later found for her after she was chased near her home.

McKeown added that she was informed that a number of staff working for a health and social care company had received letters “telling them to get out, otherwise they would be burnt out”.

The chief executives of Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Trusts, which run the healthcare system in Northern Ireland, including hospitals and GP surgeries, issued a joint statement warning that the “current unrest is having a profound impact on all of our services, which are already under enormous strain”.

The statement added that many international staff have been “intimidated” and “feel too frightened to come to work”.

“All the Trusts are trying to operate as normally as possible but the disruption is making this increasingly difficult.”

PSNI assistant chief constable Ryan Henderson acknowledged reports of “disgraceful threats and intimidation” directed at nurses, carers and other healthcare workers.

They are the backbone of our public service. They are carrying for our family, friends and loved ones in our communities. We are here to support them. In the same way they support us.

He said police would be increasing patrols of key areas tonight and have been in contact with health trusts and others to hear their concerns on staff welfare. He is also meeting with Unison to hear their concerns, as well as members of the business community and minority communities.

‘Orchestrated by people further afield’

McKeown said that following the “horrific incident” on Monday night, “we knew immediately that our members from overseas were going to be under threat”.

“We talked about the need for protection to and from work, and for alternative shift arrangements, and indeed for accommodation where necessary,” she added.

McKeown also warned that this “is not just local” and that there is “very clear evidence that this is being orchestrated by people further afield”.

“There is no doubt that there’s a far-right leadership involved in this, trying to destabilise society, to take people in an already-divided society and pit them against one group of people.”

McKeown pointed to “bogus groups posing as concerned parents” as being behind the disorder and when asked if there is a paramilitary element orchestrating the riots, she said “undoubtedly”.

She also called for people to “stop believing what they read on social media, because that’s the key tool that is being used to stir up hatred”.

PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher vowed that the force will “go after” people online who “incited” rioting across Northern Ireland.

“Stop looking at this nonsense, stop listening to these idiots,” said Boutcher.

‘Amazing’ carers

The head of a company that provides private homecare services has noted that the “entire health and social care system is very reliant on skilled migrant carers and nurses”.

Ryan Williams, the CEO of Connected Health NI, told BBC Radio Ulster that his company has had to move staff from their homes and take people off shifts.

“If you’re a person of any colour, whether you’ve lived here for generations or came here in the last number of years to provide this much needed skilled care, essentially you are at risk.”

He added that it’s been difficult to provide care given the numbers of people who have had to be pulled from shifts.

“That’s what people forget. We’re coming to look after your grandparents and the necessity to get that care to people, who sometimes who see nobody else, is really quite incredible.”

He praised his “amazing” carers who “haven’t missed a call” despite the disorder.

“This is testament to the courage and bravery of our carers out on the ground, but it hasn’t been without its challenge.”

Williams expressed hope that “some of the heat will come out of this over the next number of days, because we need our staff to be safe doing their jobs”.

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