It is not enough to condemn the rioting and violence that has taken place in the wake of Henry Nowak’s death, and the horrific knife attack in Belfast.  We need to understand why it is happening and look at ways to deal with the root cause.

There does seem to have been a rise in the number of violent crimes committed by those that have come to the UK as immigrants or asylum seekers.  Certainly if one believes the red-tops, this is the case.  However it would need someone with more time and expertise than I have to do an analysis of some of the more horrific crimes that have taken place in the last few months and years to establish whether or not this is truly the case.  My perception is that there are an equal number of dreadful acts carried out by those who appear to be ethnically British – they just don’t get the same amount of prominence in the media.

Whether or not there has been a rise in violent crimes committed by those who have come to seek sanctuary in the UK, the perception is that this is what is happening.  Those people who have not had the benefit of much education, and who are struggling with rising prices long waiting times for NHS treatment etc., feel aggrieved that people who have been welcomed here are not playing by the rules.  They realise that immigrants are getting healthcare, housing, and welfare payments that UK taxpayers are funding. They also believe, often incorrectly, that immigrants are somehow “jumping the queues” and preventing British people from having access to the above benefits.

What few of the rioters and protesters know, is that the circumstances that have caused many immigrants and asylum seekers to flee their homelands are ghastly beyond belief.  Some years ago I spent a little time in Malta working with those who had fled a variety of African countries, and crossed the Mediterranean in the hope of a better life.  On my first day in Malta, whilst being briefed in the offices of the organisation providing assistance to the refugees, a man suddenly ran in, shrieking and crying.  He collapsed sobbing on the floor, and when the staff finally managed to calm him down, they ascertained that someone had taken his bed.  To many, this would seem to be a very extreme reaction, but when you have lost everything, it isn’t.

I spoke to refugees who had travelled across the Sahara, literally clinging to the outside of a lorry which was packed inside with other refugees.  If someone fell off, the driver refused to stop, and the unfortunate person was simply left to die.  I also talked to someone who had fled Eritrea, which has had the same repressive regime since 1993.  There is conscription there, and the refugee I spoke to told me that he had fled his country rather than be forced to join an army where he might be required to kill his friends, or even members of his family.

It is unsurprising therefore that many of the refugees who reach our shores are very damaged people.  They have witnessed and endured situations which are awful beyond our comprehension, and a consequence of this is that some of them now suffer from severe mental illnesses.  Even a small problem or snub could be enough to tip them over the edge and cause them to lash out in a way that can have tragic results.

Those of us of a Liberal persuasion can understand and sympathise with their predicament, but this is not enough.  We also need to understand the motivation, however irrational, with those who take to the streets, demonstrate against immigration, and participate in acts of violence against those who they perceive as being “not British”.

We need to ensure that those who do seek sanctuary in this country are able to access mental health services if they are required, and this is a huge challenge, given the waiting lists that exist for this type of treatment.

How do we convince those that do not share our Liberal principles, that compassion, welcoming communities and tolerance are the only way to maintain a civilised society?  I wish I had an easy answer to this, but would heartily agree with the family of the Belfast knife victim, who have said that “unrest is not welcome” and “peaceful protest is the only way forward”.

* Lin Macmillan joined the Liberals eons ago. She stood in local elections in Aberdeen and was Parliamentary Candidate for North Aberdeen in 1979. She is a former member of the Scottish Lib Dem Policy Committee, and a past Convener of the Scottish Liberal Club.