SEVERAL schools in Belfast have released a statement saying children were absent on Wednesday after being forced from their homes by 'angry mobs'.
Tuesday night saw disorder in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland after a man was seriously injured in a stabbing in the north of the city on Monday night.
Images of the disorder showed houses and vehicles on fire, with reports some people had to flee their properties.
In the Dáil today, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed 'groups of masked men burned families out of their homes'.
In a statement on behalf of schools and nurseries in west Belfast, school leaders claimed children were absent after being forced from their homes or as a result of being too afraid to leave their houses.
"All of our children have a right to be educated and to live free from violence and intimidation," read the statement.
"There can be no equivocation nor justification for these actions."
'Baying mobs filled with hatred'
The statement was posted on the social media sites of several schools, including St Joseph's Primary School Slate Street near the Grosvenor Road and St Teresa's Primary School on the Glen Road.
High schools including All Saints College on the Glen Road and St Louise's Comprehensive on the Falls Road also shared the statement.
Condemning the stabbing and calling for justice to be served via the legal system, the statement expressed its regret that children in Belfast were once again being traumatised by violence.
"Today, many of our classrooms have children missing," it read.
"Some of the children were forcibly evicted from their homes last night by angry mobs and are spending today trying to find alternative accommodation, left with horrific memories that will last a very long time.
"Other children are absent because their parents and guardians are too afraid to send them across the front doors of their family homes to attend school to receive their right to education.
"That is a deplorable situation which should not be faced by any families in 2026.
"Many people in this community have memories of traumatic events at earlier periods in their own lives, including being put out of their family homes.
"That is a memory we are grateful is alien to many children today, so it is particularly distressing that baying mobs filled with hatred and intolerance took it upon themselves to target family homes last night in acts of wanton destruction instilling fear in the hearts of men, women and children who have committed no crimes and have simply been targeted because of the colour of their skin.
"That can never be right.
"All of our children have a right to be educated and to live free from violence and intimidation.
"There can be no equivocation nor justification for these actions.
"We hope and pray that people in positions of leadership will help ensure all of our children are able to return to school as soon as possible."
'It is putting lives at risk'
Meanwhile, the PSNI has condemned reports that a list of addresses purporting to be the homes of migrants has been shared online.
SDLP councillor Gary McKeown said the list appears to have been copied from the House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) register.
He added that 'particular addresses haven't been singled out from it, but it's understandably causing worry'.
The PSNI said anyone sharing the information could be committing a criminal offence
"Highlighting properties in this way is totally unacceptable," read a statement.
"We have received phone calls from a number of families, house owners, neighbours and members of the wider community who are extremely distressed as a result of this reckless activity.
"This is unacceptable. It is putting lives at risk and has to stop.
"Anyone who shares personal information online with the intention to endanger others may be committing a criminal offence.
"Any person who publishes or distributes material which is threatening or abusive may also be committing an offence.
"We will be investigating any such posts which come to our attention."
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