THE spectacle of some politicians providing a veneer of cover for the racist rioters last week was unedifying but unsurprising.

The attempted murder in north Belfast was gruesome and deserved the condemnation.

My thoughts were (and are) with the victim and his family. The latter deserve much credit for their magnanimous response in asking for no violence or retaliation.

Unfortunately, their words fell on deaf ears amongst the standing army of bigots and racists who were only too prepared to pounce on the opportunity presented to them by video footage of the crime.

Sophie Clarke: The trouble with tourists playing tour guide in Belfast

A striking demonstration of Belfast’s true céad míle fáilte - The Irish News view

Then the big guns of social media, like Elon Musk, followed by far-right agitators such as Tommy Robinson, weighed in.

Farage feigned outrage, as did others in Reform. Perhaps they should have held back, as the perpetrator was granted a five-year asylum visa under a scheme by the last Conservative government – implemented by one Suella Braverman, Home Secretary, and her Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, now both cheerleaders for Reform. (Farage may yet regret former Tory bandwagoners).

Any buck eejits amongst the plastic paddy patriots or unionist Brexiters who think any one of these care a jot about Irish people are wholly delusional.

But the stance of some unionists over the violence which subsequently occurred against ethnic minorities undermined any pretence that they respect law and order.

Irish unionism was built on........

© The Irish News