Wave of racist disorder condemned as Belfast knife attack suspect faces court

By Press Association Reporters

Keir Starmer promised to use “the full force of the law” after a night of racist violence in Belfast following a brutal stabbing attack.

A 30-year-old Sudanese man will appear in court charged with attempted murder over Monday’s knife attack.

But the reaction to the incident saw mobs set homes, a bus and cars on fire, with people targeted based on their race.

The British prime minister said: “The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable.

“There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere.

“It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it.

“Those responsible will feel the full force of the law.”

Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long said social media agitators who “yesterday would have struggled to find Belfast on a map” were “weaponising the fear that people genuinely have about what happened”.

“Because, ultimately, if you’re driving people from their homes based on nothing but the colour of their skin, you can’t dress that up any other way, it’s racism, and those bad faith actors need to take a step back,” Ms Long told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the disorder was a “huge act of self-harm by mindless idiots who are actually only damaging their own futures”.

He told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster: “We lobbied continually for people to recognise how great Northern Ireland is.

“Last night took us back seismically.”

Mr Boutcher added: “We live in a democracy.

“If there is to be a debate about immigration, if there is to be a debate about any key issues, that’s through politicians and elected mandate that will occur next May.

“Do not, do not, act in a way that literally brings this place into a disrepute that it doesn’t deserve.”

Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows witnessed disorder on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast on Tuesday night.

“These were mostly children less than 16, faces covered and believing that their patriotic duty was to go and set fire to a Glider bus, to try and find homes that were linked to immigrants. Those scenes were absolutely horrendous,” he told Good Morning Ulster.

Anti-immigration demonstrations took place across Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening, with a number descending into disorder.

A Glider bus was set alight in east Belfast, prompting all bus and train services to be suspended.

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 set on fire near the Ligoniel Road area of Belfast and a police car was set alight in Portadown.

Anselme Shima, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who lives with his wife, two sons and daughter near Lendrick Street, said it was a “very scary moment” for his family.

He told the Press Association: “It’s just a terrifying moment, we don’t know what to do. I’m scared. Seeing this, I’m wondering if I’m next. If this happened (again), is my house the next to be attacked? I don’t know.”

Online posts from high-profile people including Elon Musk, the boss of social media platform X, and far-right activist Tommy Robinson highlighted demands for people to take to the streets in the wake of Monday’s knife attack.

The suspect in the incident, who was given five years’ leave to remain in the UK after entering from Ireland, is charged with attempting to murder a man named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, 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 later on Wednesday.

The PSNI launched a “critical incident” in response to the incident which was captured on video and appears to show a man stabbing at the victim’s head and neck while he was lying on the ground.

The clip shows people, including one with a hurling stick, intervening to stop the man attacking the victim in the Kinnaird Avenue residential area close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast.

A kitchen knife was recovered from the scene.

Police revealed details on the arrested man’s immigration status and how he travelled to the UK.

He entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border in February 2023 having flown to Dublin from Paris.

The suspect claimed asylum upon arrival and in September 2023 was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.