Belfast saw violent anti-immigration protests erupt on Tuesday evening. Protesters, many masked, set fires to a bus, cars, trash cans, and even homes. This followed a call for protests on social media by far-right figures, after a brutal stabbing in the city the prior night.
A video of the stabbing, widely shared online, depicted a man being attacked with a knife. Police Services of Northern Ireland arrested a Sudanese man in his 30s. He faces charges of attempted murder, knife possession in public, and making threats to kill. The man, who entered Northern Ireland seeking asylum and got a five-year U.K. visa in 2023, is expected in court on Wednesday. The victim sustained severe injuries and was hospitalized.
Authorities and political leaders called for calm. Yet, protests continued with some participants accused of targeting immigrant homes, prompting one lawmaker to describe the events as a race-based pogrom. Fires caused severe disruptions, with the Fire & Rescue Service responding to numerous incidents. A video aired by BBC News showed residents fleeing their homes amid the chaos.
Claire Hanna, a member of the British Parliament from Belfast, expressed shock at the stabbing but condemned the violent protests on BBC’s ‘Newsnight.’ She criticized both local politicians and online figures, like Elon Musk and Tommy Robinson, for inciting unrest. She accused them of exploiting public sentiment and spreading the attack video.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill criticized the scenes of violence. She described masked men driving families from their homes as ‘disgusting cowardice.’ John Finucane, another lawmaker in Northern Ireland, called the protests ‘shameful and disgraceful.’ He emphasized that no one has the right to terrorize families or promote disorder.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed zero tolerance for such violence, calling the attack ‘horrific.’ He empathized with the victim and praised first responders as well as civilian interveners.
Some protesters voiced their disdain for the violent turn of the events. Chris and John, who met to pray following the attack, expressed shock at the stabbing and felt solidarity with the victim. Despite originating from opposing communities within Northern Ireland, they denounced the violence and sought peace.
The protest bore similarities to recent unrest in Southampton, following the murder of Henry Nowak. Far-right activists criticized the police handling of that case, alleging preferential treatment for immigrants. However, the police refuted these accusations.
Vice President JD Vance criticized the Nowak case on social media. Nowak had been stabbed by British-born Sikh Vickrum Digwa. Digwa falsely claimed Nowak had racially attacked him. Nowak, treated initially as a suspect, succumbed to his injuries, and Digwa received a life sentence.