Northern Ireland is just one petrol bomb away from a racist murder, a rally in the centre of Belfast has heard.
Hundreds attended the event at City Hall which followed five nights of disturbances and rioting in towns in the region.
The rally heard calls for political leadership in opposing racism.
In the latest disorder on Friday night, police were attacked with petrol bombs in Portadown, following violence in Ballymena earlier in the week.
The rally, which was addressed by trade union leaders and politicians, took place in driving rain.
Participants carried placards and chanted: âNo hate, no fear, refugees are welcome hereâ and âWhen migrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.â
Addressing the event, Amnesty International Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said âthe ugly face of racism has shown itself on our streetsâ.
He added: âWe have come very close this week to the loss of life.
âWe are just one petrol bomb away from racially motivated murder.â
Mr Corrigan added: âToo many political leaders have chosen to fan the flames of hate rather than put them out.
âBy linking immigration to crime, by blaming migrants for pressure on housing or public services, they seek to turn neighbour against neighbour.
âThis rhetoric is not only dishonest â it is dangerous. It gives cover for racism.
âPeople fleeing war, persecution or poverty are not the problem.
âPeople working in our hospitals, in social care or in factories are not the problem.
âRacism is the problem, inequality is the problem and political cowardice is the problem.
âWhen so-called leaders suggest that all migrants are to blame for our social ills, they distract from their own failures to address those challenges.
âWhat Northern Ireland needs is not more division. It needs real leadership â leadership that stands up for human rights, that protects all communities, and that recognises the value of diversity.
âWe call on every political party to end the language of scapegoating, to condemn racist attacks without qualification.
âTo commit to serious action against hate crime, and to put in place an Executive anti-racism strategy that is worthy of the name.â
Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance deputy general secretary Patrick Mulholland told the crowd he was a native of Ballymena.
He said: âLet me tell you this, they did not speak for the people of Ballymena.
âThe thousands who protested against potential sex crimes, they spoke for Ballymena â the handful who used that, who exploited that to terrorise their neighbours and terrorise immigrants, did not speak for Ballymena.â
The latest violence came after a senior officer said there would be a âscaled-upâ policing presence across Northern Ireland in anticipation of further disorder over the weekend.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the mobilisation, which would include officers sent over from Scotland, was âto reassure our communities and protect our streetsâ.
Disorder started in Ballymena on Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the town last weekend. Two 14-year-old boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged with attempted rape.
A peaceful protest about the alleged assault on Monday evening was later followed by attacks on properties and police. The PSNI described the scenes as âracist thuggeryâ.
The disturbances in the Co Antrim town continued for several nights and have spread to other areas including Larne, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Portadown and Coleraine.
Following the Belfast rally, United Against Racism Belfast chairwoman Ivanka Antova said the âracist minorityâ would not win.
She said: âThe anti-racist majority will not allow far-right agitators to scapegoat migrants and refugees for the hardships working class communities face.
âWe count trade unionists, housing campaigners, womenâs rights activists, and more in our ranks.
âThe people who fight day and daily to improve the lives of ordinary people are with us.
âThose responsible for the racist violence have nothing to offer but hatred and fear, and we will oppose them every step of the way.â
