Iraqi business owner to sell up after attack by far-right groups in Belfast

Ali Wartty, 52, says he is too scared to let his young children out of their house amid continuing riots across the UK

Far-right protesters rioting in Belfast, Northern Ireland, last week. AP

The Iraqi owner of a supermarket targeted during rioting in the UK says he is selling the business after a staff member was attacked.

Ali Wartty, 52, told The National he is scared to take his young children out of the house as the country braces itself for more far-right organised violence.

Footage circulating online shows rioters swarming around the Middle East Market in Belfast as staff tried to defend the store on Tuesday night.

Mr Wartty, who is based in England, said he has been in the UK for 22 years and opened the shop at the beginning of the year after investing £200,000.

“They attacked the shop and the staff and began beating them,” he said of the rioters. “One of the staff was injured and one of our customers was injured … so we’ve decided to close the shop.”

He said the store had been the target of low-level harassment since January but this had ramped up as youths copied the violence taking place in other UK cities.

“The situation is increasing and increasing until last night,” he said.

Other Arab-owned businesses were also caught up in the violence in the Falls Road and Sandy Row areas of the city.

Sam Yousef, a member of Belfast’s Syrian community, said: “It took us back to our home where we come from, the war zone in Syria.”

“We thought when we came here we were going to be safe, but when we saw this, it made us feel completely unsafe again,” he told Irish News.

Britain has been rocked by the continuing disorder that has seen more than 400 arrests, with a further 140 people charged with offences related to the riots.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said he was “shocked and angry” at the violence in Belfast over the past few days, claiming such scenes “do not represent Northern Ireland”.

Mr Benn said he had spoken to people across the affected area, including representatives of the Islamic centre, politicians, firefighters and business owners, some of whom said they had been targeted in their homes.

At a press conference at a community centre in the city, he said it was “really important” that people who are “shocked and angered and disgusted by what is happening speak up”.

Mr Wartty said he has run a number of businesses including other shops, a taxi firm and a carpet shop but had never experienced any problems.

He lives in Sheffield which has recently seen a large far-right protest and he said this has left him scared.

“We have been following the news and seen the situation across the country and people being attacked as foreigners,” Mr Wartty said.

“We don’t let our children, who are aged five and six, out at the moment and won’t until the situation has calmed down.”

He said he would try to sell some of the stock at the Belfast store before shutting it permanently at the weekend.

A police spokesperson said a large group of young people had been throwing eggs at the shop.

“During the incident, a young boy had been assaulted by up to 10 youths.

“He sustained a minor facial injury in this assault which is being treated as a hate crime.”

Police fear that far-right groups will cause even more disorder throughout Wednesday, with claims that 100 anti-immigrant protests were set to take place.

A police source told PA that Wednesday “was probably going to be the busiest day of the week”.

“Tonight, we think it’s looking like a credible picture. We are preparing for activity across 41 forces.”

Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, said threats against immigration lawyers were “at the centre of our planning tonight”, adding: “We will not let the immigration asylum system be intimidated.”

A list of solicitors’ firms and advice agencies has been shared in chat groups as possible targets for disturbances, and the message invited people to “mask up” if they attend.

Britain prepares for further riots – in pictures

British courts have already handed out stiff sentences to protesters for their roles in the rioting.

Derek Drummond, 58, from Southport, Merseyside, was jailed for three years on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to charges of violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker during the unrest in Southport on July 30.

Two other men, Declan Geiran, 29, and Liam Riley, 40, received sentences of 30 months and 20 months respectively for their roles in disturbances in Liverpool on Saturday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the sentences were an example of “the swift action we’re taking”, adding: “If you provoke violent disorder on our streets or online, you will face the full force of the law.”

Far-right protesters attacked mosques and began rioting across the country last week, following disinformation online about the identity of the person alleged to be responsible for killing three children in Southport.