We, the international students of Queen's University Belfast, are deeply concerned with the current racial attacks perpetrated near Queens. Not only do we oppose these racial attacks as a matter of principle, but several of the international students at Queen's have also been subjected to harassment from racist individuals. We are concerned that this could easily escalate into violence against us and our loved ones.

As students of Queen's, we call for Queen's University to ensure that student safety is of the highest priority. By speaking out now, Queen's can show their dedication to protecting students, while also demonstrating that racism is not acceptable in Belfast. As the current situation in Australia shows, a few racially-motivated attacks are all it takes to outrage international communities and discourage international students from studying abroad.

We urge Queen's to address this issue immediately and publicly. We urge Queen's to put pressure on the PSNI to ensure that the Queen's campus and its surrounding areas are safe for everybody. The PSNI needs to react much faster and more effectively to reports of racially-motivated violence.

Lastly, we urge Queen's to reach out directly to international students by giving us the tools we need to stay safe.