Reports nurses advised to show ID to masked men 'vile and disgusting' - O'Neill

The First Minister Michelle O'Neill has described reports that police instructed some nurses from a minority background to show their ID to masked men before accessing their work place as "disgusting".

Many of the protests passed peacefully but elsewhere there were people who engaged in racist violence.

'Must be serious investigation'

International healthcare workers have told BBC News NI they faced intimidation and some feared for their safety.

"If they were not with us our health service would collapse and people would die unnecessarily," Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said.

O'Neill said Nesbitt was also aware of the reports of nurses being told to show and she now plans to raise the matter with the Chief Constable Jon Boutcher.

She said that if any health care worker was advised by police to show an ID to masked men it was "vile and disgusting" and there must be a "serious investigation".

"No nurse or person going into their workplace should have to stop at any mob and give their ID - that's absolutely disgraceful."

"I think we have to get to the bottom of whether or not that did happen. I put it directly to the chief constable who in the first instance dismissed it but then when I went back to him again he had to take on board that actually, both myself and the health minister were told this by members of staff," she added.