Violence broke out in the Northern Irish city of Belfast on Tuesday night as anti-immigrant protesters rioted in the city following a knife attack allegedly carried out by a Sudanese man.
The suspect, a 30-year-old refugee originally from Sudan, is due to appear in a Belfast court on Wednesday to face charges of attempted murder, possessing a bladed article in public and threatening to kill.
What happened during the riots in Belfast last night?
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said a wave of violence spread across the city on Tuesday night, with masked men setting fire to homes and forcing families out of their homes.
“A group of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing short of disgusting cowardice,” O’Neill said in a statement.
The BBC reported that men were heard shouting “Get the foreigners out” during the riot.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the violence, calling it “shocking and unacceptable”.
“There is no justification for the violence and disorder we have seen threatening our communities, nor for those who have encouraged it online or elsewhere,” Starmer said in a statement posted on Twitter.
He said: “It’s clear that people were targeted last night because of their backgrounds and I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will be brought to justice the full force of the law.”
Police on Tuesday urged the public not to resort to violence following calls from far-right groups for anti-immigration protests.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk retweeted a post by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, calling for nationwide anti-immigration demonstrations.
Musk said, “Only by repeatedly and loudly protesting will any change happen!!”
What caused the wave of violence in Belfast?
There is anger across Northern Ireland and the wider United Kingdom after a video of the attack on Monday went viral.
A 40-year-old man suffered serious injuries on his neck and head.
Northern Ireland police chief John Boucher said the suspect came to Britain in 2023 and has a residence permit valid until 2028, adding that police were “not aware” of the suspect.
In a joint statement, the leaders of Northern Ireland’s five largest political parties described the knife attack, saying, “There is no place in our society for this kind of brutality.”
The stabbing, which British Prime Minister Starmer called “horrific” and “tragic”, followed violent street protests in Southampton, southern England, amid anger over how police handled the murder of a young, white student who was stabbed by a British Sikh man who falsely alleged he had been racially abused.
Immigration has become a controversial topic in Britain, helping far-right parties like Nigel Farage’s Reform UK make gains in the polls.
Edited by: Natalie Muller