Risk situation for Romanians in Northern Ireland

The Romanian citizens of the Northern Ireland are asked to respect the instructions of law enforcement and to avoid the areas where demonstrations take place or in which the traffic is restricted, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Thursday.

The ministry shows that, in the context of current tensions, the Romanian ambassador, Laura Popescu, also had a telephone discussion with Hilary Benn, the Minister for Northern Ireland in the London government.

« The Romanian Embassy in London and the Consulate General of Romania in Edinburgh have taken multiple steps to clarify the situation of Romanian citizens affected by the incidents in Ballymen and to establish a dialogue with the relevant authorities, in order to sanction the guilty and to take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of the Romanian citizens, » the MAE said.

At the same time, the Romanian Ministry shows that « a diplomatic mission or a consular office cannot be substituted in any way to the authorities of the state of residence ».

« At the same time, being the investigations in progress, both the Romanian Embassy in London and the Consulate General of Romania in Edinburgh maintain the dialogue with the relevant authorities involved in the investigation regarding the two Romanian citizens detained on June 7, » adds the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry also recalls that any person who is in danger must call the 999 or 112 emergency number.

Also, people who have information about violent incidents and want to transmit to the police can call the number 101 or make an online report at www.psni.police.uk/report. Also, for reports under the protection of anonymity, the number of Crime Stoppers-0800 555 111 or the website www.crimestoppers-uk.org is available.

Romanian citizens who need consular assistance can call the phone number for emergency situations of the General Consulate in Edinburgh – 00447951858445.

Nine policemen were injured and six people were arrested, including three teenagers, following the third night of anti-immigration violence in Northern Ireland, police said on Thursday, AFP reports.

The confrontations took place mainly in the city of Ballymen, where individuals again attacked law enforcement, throwing Molotov cocktails, fireworks and other projectiles, as well as an ax, according to the police. Police used a water cannon again to disperse the crowd.

A leisure center, where displaced families had been temporarily accommodated due to Ballymen’s riots, was burned down, about 30 kilometers away, without being injured.

Ballymen is the epicenter of these revolts, triggered by the accused of two teenagers for an attempt to rape over a young woman in the city located about 50 kilometers north of Belfast.