General · 17 February 2026
Northern Ireland shops pay paramilitaries to stop attacks
Business owners in Northern Ireland are paying paramilitary groups to avoid having their property destroyed or facing physical attacks. Justice Minister Naomi Long described this pressure as a "stranglehold", while one victim was warned they would be killed for refusing. Although the Stormont Executive launched the Ending the Harm campaign in 2024, businesses remain too afraid to stop making the payments.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs