Responding to publication of the PSNI race and ethnicity action plan, Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Director, said:

“For too long, the PSNI has over-policed and under-protected minority ethnic communities in Northern Ireland.

“Race hate crime is at a record high, yet many victims still feel unable to report attacks - a stark reflection of mistrust in policing.

“From the heavy-handed response to Black Lives Matter protests to repeated failures to respond effectively to racist violence, the PSNI has eroded the confidence of many minoritised communities.

“The publication of this five-year plan is, therefore, a welcome and necessary step - a public commitment by the PSNI to becoming an anti-racist police force.

“Amnesty International will work alongside local communities to monitor progress and hold the police to account. In the end, the success of this plan won’t be measured by words on paper, but by whether communities see real change in how they are policed and protected."