A new report has shown the highest levels of racist incidents and crimes in Northern Ireland since records began.

Records started in 2004 with the levels of race hate incidents hitting a new high in summer 2024.

Amnesty International described the past year as a ‘year of hate’.

The figures - up to March 2025 - were published in a report by the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

It reveals there were 1,807 incidents and 1,188 crimes recorded by the police.

There were 454 more race incidents and 349 more race hate crimes recorded in the last 12 months than in the previous corresponding period.

Six of the eight highest monthly levels of race incidents since records began were recorded between May and October 2024.

More than half (635) of recorded race hate crimes in the period were in Belfast.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Director, said: “The past year has been a year of hate for victims of racism in Northern Ireland. These figures should serve as a stark wake-up call for the Northern Ireland Executive.

“The Executive’s ten-year racial equality strategy has failed. Promises made years ago remain broken, while racism has been allowed to flourish. Last year, race hate crime hit an all-time high – a shameful milestone," he added.

“As the current Racial Equality Strategy nears its expiration at the end of this year, the Executive must deliver more than rhetoric. It must implement a bold, effective action plan to confront and dismantle the toxic prejudice that has taken root across Northern Ireland.”

An independent review of the Northern Ireland Executive's Racial Equality Strategy 2015 - 2025, commissioned by the Executive and published in December 2024, found the strategy has been undermined by the lack of an action plan and budget.

The PSNI was approached for comment.