Violent anti-immigration protests break out in Belfast after stabbing incident
Masked demonstrators set fire to a bus, vehicles and homes in Belfast following a stabbing attack, prompting condemnation from officials and calls for calm.
Police in Belfast responded to a wave of unrest on Tuesday evening after a graphic video of a stabbing circulated online. The video showed a man being attacked with a knife, and a Sudanese asylum seeker in his 30s was later detained and charged with attempted murder and related offences. The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries to his eyes, face and back.
Despite appeals for restraint from police and politicians across the spectrum, dozens of masked individuals gathered in several neighbourhoods, setting fire to a bus, cars, trash cans and residential properties. BBC reporter Kelly Bonner described crowds marching down Lower Newtownards Road carrying bottles and bricks, shouting anti-immigrant slogans, and attempting to burn a car before a resident intervened.
Local MP Claire Hanna said the community was “understandably revulsed and shocked” by the stabbing but condemned the arson and door-to-door intimidation. She attributed part of the unrest to “negative actors online and politicians locally” who amplified the video and called for protests, naming several far-right figures as influential in spreading the content.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill described the incidents as “outright thuggery” and condemned the burning of homes. Lawmaker John Finucane called the disorder “shameful and disgraceful,” emphasizing that no one has the right to spread fear or terrorise families.
The fire and rescue service reported responding to 62 incidents between 7 p.m. and midnight. First responders assisted residents fleeing the flames in areas with significant immigrant populations.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the stabbing “horrific” and expressed sympathy for the victim, while also thanking emergency personnel and members of the public who intervened.
Two protest participants, identified only as Chris and John, said they were motivated by shock at the video and a desire to show solidarity with the victim, but rejected the violent tactics. They highlighted broader concerns about immigration pressures on housing and health services, and argued that a lack of political responsiveness fuels such demonstrations.
