Protesters who brought a night of violence to Belfast in the wake of a stabbing attack in the city have been accused of “thuggery” by political leaders, as they and police issued another appeal for calm.
Those taking part in the demonstation set fire to a bus and several vehicles, while in one street residents were forced to flee their homes as flames spread to properties.
The protests followed the attack on a man on Monday night in Kinnaird Avenue, a residential part of the city. Horrifying video circulating online, which is too graphic to publish in full, appeared to show a man with a knife pinning another man down on the ground and repeatedly stabbing him.
A man, 30, who police say is a Sudanese asylum seeker, was arrested on suspicion of the attack and later charged with attempted murder. He was also charged with possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and making threats to kill.
He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
The victim, a man in his forties, has been left with “significant injuries” to his eyes, face and back and remained in a serious condition.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said it was the police’s understanding that the suspect had been granted leave to remain, having travelled from Sudan to Paris at dates unknown, before flying to Dublin. He then travelled from Dublin to Belfast by bus on 10 February 2023 and claimed asylum on that date.
He warned people against being influenced “from afar through social media” amid calls for protests in response to the attack from far-right agitators such as Tommy Robinson.
However, on Tuesday night, anti-immigration protests took place in areas across Northern Ireland, including in Belfast. There were also demonstrations in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Southampton.
In Belfast city centre, disorder appeared to start when masked males set commercial bins alight and pushed them into the Glider bus on the Newtownards Road in the east of the city.
In Lendrick Street in Belfast, several cars were set alight and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service officers had to remove some residents from houses after they caught fire.
A number of houses and vehicles were also on fire near the Ligoniel Road area of Belfast. A police car was also set ablaze in Portadown.
Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn said: “The scenes of disorder we have witnessed in some parts of Northern Ireland this evening are only damaging communities and putting innocent lives at risk. There is no justification at all for this type of destruction and thuggery.”
Northern Ireland’s first minister Michelle O’Neill has described scenes of violence in Belfast as “outright thuggery”. In a social media post, Ms O’Neill said: “Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice. This has nothing to do with community. This is outright thuggery.
“The attack in North Belfast was heinous and wrong. But there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target and attack innocent people who are simply trying to live, work and raise their families here.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Downing Street had said “it is time for calm”, adding: “It’s important that police have the time and space to investigate appropriately.”
Speaking in the House of Commons earlier on Tuesday, Mr Benn also praised the actions of those who had intervened to try and halt the attack before police arrived.
Referring to the video, he said: “Members of the public did not walk on by, instead a number of them stepped forward and at immense risk to their own safety, they intervened to pull the assailant away and protect the victim until the police arrived.
“I would like to say this: you showed the very best of humanity and you have the gratitude of this entire house.”
Responding to the attack, Sir Keir said in a statement: “The horrific attack in Belfast last night is sickening. I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets. My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who intervened.”
The scene outside an apartment complex off Kinnaird Avenue in the lower Antrim Road area remained cordoned off on Tuesday, with markers visible on the ground where the attack had taken place. A kitchen knife was recovered at the scene.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam or CCTV footage has been urged to contact police.
