At-risk Belfast kids ‘exploited by ringleaders
Getting young people to riot is child abuse, warns expert
CHILDREN are being “coerced” into rioting by ringleaders in Northern Ireland in the same way as abusers prey on kids, an expert warned yesterday.
Koulla Yiasouma, the Children’s Commissioner for Northern Ireland, hit out at the behaviour of some adults in contributing to violence in the province.
She spoke out after a week of trouble, with youths pelting police with petrol bombs, fireworks and stones.
At least 74 officers have been injured in more than a week of clashes.
Yiasouma told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House: “This is criminal exploitation and coercion by adults of vulnerable and at-risk children and young people and these adults have to be held accountable and stopped.
“Child abuse is a very loaded term but I think it is within that safeguarding family of abuses children may suffer and experience.
“When it comes to safeguarding issues I would put it in that group, yes.”
She added: “Enough is enough when the first petrol bomb or stone is thrown.
“It’s criminal actors trying to take control and what we need is a calm narrative from our politicians. We need them to be seen, to be supporting our community workers on the ground.”
Former Irish president Mary McAleese said youngsters in Northern Ireland were still being “taught to hate”.
She told BBC1’s The Andrew Marr Show: “Regrettably, it arises because they’re in a vacuum, and there is undoubtedly a vacuum of the leadership.
“You’re also dealing with young people, regrettably, who are still being taught to hate and who are bringing that hatred and expressing it out on the streets. They are 13 and 14 years of age.
“What experience do they have of life?” She added such youngsters would benefit from taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and blamed Brexit for fuelling the violence.
Speaking about Prince Philip, she added: “He could see how important it was to galvanise the curiosity and the wonder and the energy of youth.
“These are young people, I guarantee you – none of them will ever have done a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, unfortunately. There is bound to be the consequences of Brexit, which, if we go back to Brexit, we realise how little consideration was given in the planning of it and the referendum, of the impact that would have in Northern Ireland. There’s all of that.”
Meanwhile, Government sources denied claims ministers were resisting calls for a crisis summit with Dublin to tackle mounting tensions in Northern Ireland. Sources told the Record no request for a “British-Irish intergovernmental conference” had been received.