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THE latest annual PSNI report on racist, homophobic and sectarian incidents reveals that occurrences of these remains alarmingly high in the ABC borough.

A total of 95 racist incidents were recorded in the borough between April 2022 and March 2023 – the second highest figure after Belfast – with a majority of these incidents (70) being classed as crimes by the PSNI.

Thankfully, the number of racist incidents reported to the police has dropped from 145 the previous year to 95.

This represents a 50% drop in racist incidents being reported locally, and a 23% fall in racist crimes being recorded.

Meanwhile, 39 homophobic incidents were reported to the PSNI in 2022-23 in the borough, as compared to 56 the previous year.

Of these incidents, 21 were classed as crimes by the PSNI in 2022-23, and 39 the previous year.

Worryingly, the number of sectarian incidents reported to the police has gone up from 93 in 2021-22 to 120 in 2022-23 in the borough (+ 27%), while the number of recorded crimes resulting from these incidents has gone up from 61 to 96 year on year (+ 35%).

At NI level, 1,238 sectarian incidents and 921 sectarian crimes were reported to the police in 2022-23, which is a year-on-year increase of 171 sectarian incidents and 141 sectarian crimes.

The level of sectarian incidents reported in 2022/23 is the second-highest since 2015/16, in keeping with the rise in such incidents locally.