Politicians have condemned a series of racist and sectarian attacks in Belfast which they said had left some families barricading themselves into their own homes.
In the most recent incident last week, several homes belonging to ethnic minority families were targeted.
Windows were broken and racist graffiti was scrawled on the properties in the predominately loyalist Lower Oldpark area.
The racist attacks follow sectarian incidents in neighbouring streets in recent months which have seen some Catholic families move out.
Today politicians met with police, housing bodies and community groups to discuss how to stop the intimidation.
North Belfast MP John Finucane said all such activity needed to be condemned by political leaders across the spectrum.
The police have promised to increase patrolling in the area.
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Mr Finucane said he had been reassured by the police that they were treating the situation seriously and would be committing more resources to the area.
He said some of the families affected by the intimidation were vulnerable with complex needs.
"The fact that we have families that are barricading themselves into their own homes to provide some level of comfort and security should shame all of us," he said.
Alliance and the DUP both sent representatives to the meeting.
Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister said the majority of people living in the area wanted nothing to do with the threats and graffiti.
"The vast majority of people don't actually want this. They don't intimidate their neighbours, they don't ask people to leave.
"They don't erect flags outside their windows, but it is happening and its really depressing."
A campaign of misinformation
The problems in north Belfast come at a time of an increasing number of racially motivated attacks in Northern Ireland.
Six members of the Filipino community had their cars burned in Ballymena on Sunday night.
The workers, who are all employed by a large manufacturing firm in the town, were inside their homes at the time.
Their landlord blamed a campaign of misinformation on Tik Tok for increased tensions.
His name and address had been posted on the social media platform.
He said he had been subjected to an online campaign of intimidation over his decision to rent two houses at his property to the Filipino workers.
He called for better regulation of social media and for politicians to help tone down rhetoric which he said contributed to tensions.
He said he had never had any problems prior to the race riots in Ballymena in June.
Police statistics show that race hate crime in Northern Ireland is now at a record level.
In the 12 months to June 2025 there were 1329 racially motivated crimes, up more than 400 on year and the highest since records began in 2004.
