Police are working to establish if social media calls for anti-Islamic protests in Northern Ireland this weekend will materialise on the ground, the chief constable has said.

Jon Boutcher urged people in society to push back against the “poisonous nonsense” being propagated by those seeking to organise demonstrations against the Islamic faith.

At the monthly meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, the PSNI’s oversight body, independent member Marian Cree asked the police chief if he was aware of social media posts calling on people to attend a series of anti-Islamic events on Saturday.

“We are aware of it, we’re still trying to understand who’s behind it,” said Mr Boutcher.

“There’s no set organisation showing themselves on social media which sort of defines the cowardly nature of the people who do this nonsense.

“There is obviously, from the social media calling, an intention to try and do something on Saturday.

“We have got a gold (command) structure in place around this.

“We’re looking into the intelligence now to see who, if anybody, is actually involved and going to respond to this.”

Violent unrest has been witnessed in Southport as well as in London, Hartlepool and Manchester.

“I would point people to what happened in London yesterday and Hartlepool, and obviously Southport, this is based on poisonous nonsense,” Mr Boutcher told the board meeting in Belfast.

“It has no basis in a society that’s seen what hatefulness can do to a society and I would appeal for everybody, everybody to push back against any of this utter awful nonsense.

“But if there is going to be any gatherings, we will police them and we will police them effectively.”

Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said he was aware of a social media post calling for a gathering at Belfast City Hall and a subsequent protest march.

He warned that any march needed the permission of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission.

“To date no such procession has been notified to the Parades Commission,” he said.

“I’d advise that if anybody was planning on attending that, the fact that that’s not notified, of course, could mean that they could see themselves liable to a criminal investigation.

“Protest is a fundamental human right. But everything that the chief has said is right, you know, our real concern around this is that, in fact, it’s simply people intent on stirring up fear and hatred.

“And I would ask that anybody that does intend to engage in any form of protest activity follows the advice that we issue to the public regularly on this, the advice is you should engage with the police and to stay lawful, you must not endanger the safety of yourself or anybody else.

“You should not block any road or foot path, you should respect the rights of others and the Parades Commission must be notified in respect of any procession.”

Alliance board member Nuala McAllister expressed concern that some of the posts had urged women and children to take the lead in the protests.

Mr Singleton replied: “I think that was a sinister element that we’ve seen, and I think it speaks volumes potentially about the mindset of those that are involved in this activity.

“But, again, let me reassure you, from a policing perspective our response will be proportionate.

“As the chief says, it’ll be policed effectively.”

Church Leaders Condemn Protests

Church leaders in Northern Ireland have condemned the calls for protests, urging calm and tolerance in the face of a divisive narrative. The Bishop of Down and Connor, Alan McGuckian, expressed concern about the spread of Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism on social media. He appealed for peace and community harmony.

The clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev Trevor Gribben, called the pursuit of hatred and incitement of fear “abhorrent.” The president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Rev Dr John Alderdice, also condemned the protests, calling them “abhorrent” and saying that using the Southport attack as a pretext was “gravely concerning.”

A Dangerous Turn Backwards

These protests, fueled by misinformation and hate speech, represent a dangerous trend. They demonstrate a turn toward intolerance and division, a regression from the values of peace and tolerance that should be the bedrock of any civilised society. The events in Southport, and the subsequent protests, serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of hatred and the urgent need to combat its spread. It is incumbent upon all of us to stand together against bigotry and defend the values of inclusivity and respect.

Counter-Protests Planned

In response to the planned anti-Islamic protests, a counter-rally has been organised by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. He encouraged people to attend a counter-protest at Belfast City Hall to stand against division, racism, and Islamophobia.

The PSNI has confirmed that it is aware of the calls for protests and is planning a “proportionate response.” It remains to be seen how many people will turn out for either the anti-Islamic protests or the counter-rally. However, it is clear that the calls for protests have ignited a passionate response, with people from all walks of life expressing their commitment to peace, tolerance, and inclusion.