North Belfast School Deems Return “Not Safe” for Muslim Girls

Three young Muslim girls, central to a dispute involving racial bullying, have been informed by their north Belfast school that it is “not safe” for them to come back. The children, all under 16 years old, have not attended the Belfast Model School for Girls since an alleged assault occurred there in November. Complaints were subsequently lodged against the girls with the police, who are now investigating the incident as a hate crime. A statement released by the school’s board of governors affirmed that “the safety and wellbeing of all our students remains our highest priority”. Conversely, a friend of the girls’ parents claimed that the situation had been “switched” to make the girls appear as “bad people”. This friend informed BBC News NI that one of the girls was acting in self-defense when the alleged assault took place. They added that the incident led to false claims circulating online, which have left the children “traumatised” and too afraid to leave their home. Two of the young girls were briefly suspended, while the third has remained absent due to safety concerns. BBC News NI has reviewed evidence indicating that the Girls Model subsequently advised that the children should not return to the school “in the interest of their own safety”. According to the friend, this advice has caused them to feel “unprotected, isolated, and left alone”. In its statement, the school’s board of governors confirmed its ongoing collaboration with the Education Authority (EA). The statement continued: “Whilst we cannot discuss individual students, we remain firmly committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and diverse environment where all students are happy, learning, and succeeding.” It concluded by stating: “We would ask the local community for their support so that we can continue to provide a safe learning environment for our students and staff.” A spokesperson for the EA, which oversees and finances the school, verified that it was “working closely” with the school following the recent incident. The spokesperson stated: “Staff from a range of services have been and continue to provide specialist advice and support.” They emphasized: “The priority is to ensure that all pupils feel safe and welcome to attend school so they can continue to learn in an inclusive environment.” Approximately 200 parents protested at the school after the incident. They conveyed to BBC News NI at the time their apprehension for their children’s safety. Online allegations emerged, claiming that Muslim girls were targeting other schoolchildren. Some social media users asserted that Muslim girls at the school operated as a “gang” and possessed a “hit list” of “local” girls; that they had attacked teachers; and that knives had been brought to the school. Additionally, comments included calls for “ethnic cleansing” in the area. In an effort to reassure parents, school principal Paula Stuart confirmed at the time that “PSNI were onsite to view CCTV and that no knives were involved”. She characterized the online claims as “inaccurate” and appealed for “support in helping to stop the spread of misinformation”. The friend, who spoke anonymously due to concerns for their own safety, stated that prior to the school incident, the girls claimed to have experienced racial bullying. They detailed the alleged abuse: “Hitting on the shoulder, calling names, calling them monkey, calling them black, saying they’re here for the money of this country – benefits – and asking them to go back to their country.” The friend further added: “Pulling their hijabs, calling their hijabs ugly, and calling them ugly. They felt very, very isolated. Fearful.” The friend reported that one of the girls was defending herself when another child was injured in the alleged assault, which took place on November 12. Police Superintendent Allister Hagan confirmed that enquiries are ongoing. He commented: “Officers continue to liaise with key stakeholders in relation to this matter.” He also confirmed: “No arrests have been made in relation to the incident, which is being treated as a hate crime.” North Belfast DUP MLA Brian Kingston remarked that it was “not helpful to have speculation promoted on various forms of media without full access to the facts”. He added: “It is important that these relevant authorities continue to carry out a thorough investigation in order to get to the truth of what has occurred.” Kingston also noted that the school has stressed that pupil safety is its utmost priority, stating: “It is important that appropriate action, including disciplinary action, is taken in response to any proven incidents of bullying which must not be tolerated.” Separately, BBC News NI has learned that police are investigating a potential connection between the school incident and a report of a brick being thrown through the window of a property near where the three Muslim girls reside. This latter incident is also reportedly being investigated as a hate crime. The friend conveyed the girls’ distress, stating: “These are children – very young children. They had all this confusion. ‘Are we safe? Are these people going to come to our house? Are other Muslim girls safe?’” The friend added: “They felt as though their world in Northern Ireland has just finished.” They further explained: “Their mental health is affected by this so badly that they can’t sleep at night.” Concluding, the friend remarked: “They haven’t left their door. It’s just unbelievable, unimaginable for young people like that to be locked in in fear when the rest of the world is going on.” One of the girls, publicly identified on social media as the alleged assailant, now wishes to change her name. The friend elaborated: “They are worried. They’re wondering why there is no protection in place for them.” The friend continued: “These are young girls, their names have been mentioned.” They also noted: “Even the other girls whose parents are [making claims]—their names are all over social media.” The friend concluded: “It’s just not safe for any child to be in that kind of intensity of misinformation.” Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, informed BBC News NI that certain social media posts were “toxic” and “racist”. He observed that while school incidents are common, this specific situation intensified due to online misinformation. Holder explained: “It’s underpinned by the usual false claims and stereotypes – false claims about gangs, false claims about terror, false claims about knives – and that in itself feeds a climate where minorities are more likely to be victimised, more likely to be targeted, and more likely to be attacked.” He further stated: “It’s a far-right trope to collectively demonise a community and present them as a threat, but obviously different people will pick up misinformation, and some people will think it’s true. And that is extremely risky.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.