The Security Industry Federation is shocked and appalled by the violence and disorder currently taking place in Northern Ireland which is now affecting our members in Belfast and the wider security community.
SIF condemns racism, sectarianism, xenophobia, and all forms of hatred. Security workers come from many different communities and backgrounds, and no worker should face abuse, threats, violence, or targeting because of who they are, where they are from, or how they are perceived.
During periods of unrest, security officers are often placed on the frontline, protecting people, property, workplaces, venues, public spaces, residential sites, and essential services. Their work is vital, but their safety must not be treated as secondary.
No security worker should be expected to face violence, intimidation, threats, abuse, or unsafe working conditions without proper protection, planning, and support. Employers and clients must take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that security staff are not left isolated, unsupported, or exposed to unmanaged risk.
Where there is a foreseeable risk of violence, disorder, criminal damage, fire, targeted abuse, or confrontation, employers should be actively reviewing risk assessments, staffing levels, lone working arrangements, communication systems, escalation procedures, emergency contacts, and instructions for withdrawing from unsafe situations.
Security officers must not be treated as a buffer between public disorder and poor planning. Their role is to protect people and property within the limits of their training, licensing, site instructions, and the law. It is not their role to absorb avoidable risk because proper safety measures have not been put in place.
SIF stands in solidarity with security workers affected by the current situation and urges all employers, contractors, and clients to act responsibly, communicate clearly, and put worker safety first.
Security workers safety is not optional.
