Masked men targeted homes belonging to migrants in Belfast on Tuesday night, after a Sudanese asylum seeker was charged with attempted murder over a knife attack.
Rioters set fire to homes, a Middle Eastern supermarket, cars and buses, forcing some people to flee. Video footage shared on social media showed children being carried out of buildings on fire. Police vehicles were attacked, while a fire service spokesman said they had attended 62 incidents.
A man is set to appear in court today over the stabbing, which left the victim with life-altering injuries to his face, neck and back. Detectives said there is no indication Monday’s knife attack was terror-related.
The attack sparked anti-immigration demonstrations, which led to a night of violence in Belfast condemned by political leaders.
SDLP leader Claire Hanna criticised the “nightmarish scenes of unspeakable violence”. She told the BBC: “What you’re seeing is a race-based pogrom, we are seeing men going door-to-door asking to 'get the foreigners out' based exclusively on the colour of their skin.” She hit out at politicians locally and people online "inciting, dividing and encouraging men on to the streets”.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill called the scenes “outright thuggery”.
She said: “Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.”
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “Taking frustration at the evil actions of a person out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong.”
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley condemned planning on social media for the violent protests.
One message said to have circulated overnight urged men aged 18 and over to “wear dark clothing and be prepared to fight or be arrested”.
Ms Turley told Times Radio: “That kind of message is more than irresponsible, it is dangerous, and it should not be happening. And I’d urge everyone to stay calm.”
Tech billionaire Elon Musk continued overnight to amplify calls for people to take to the streets in response to the incident. He shared posts on X showing the violent attack and calling for flash protests, reposted comments by Restore leader Rupert Lowe that “millions must go” and replied “exactly” to a post suggesting it was not him inflaming tensions, but the “very deliberate policy of mass uncontrolled immigration and open borders” that would “destroy western nations”.
Ms Turley said: “We have to acknowledge and see that social media is playing a role in driving this. And I think there are bad faith actors who are sitting often many, many miles away. It is easy for them to stoke these things up.”
On Mr Musk’s intervention specifically, she said: “He has a responsibility, everyone in public and civil life has a responsibility to call for calm and not to stoke grievance or hatred or division or tension that puts vulnerable people and our communities at risk.”
Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long said “bad-faith” actors stoking racial tensions on social media should “step away from their keyboards”, adding: “If you weren’t interested in Northern Ireland on Sunday, you don’t need to show interest in Northern Ireland today.”
She said: “We recognise in Northern Ireland that immigration is a vexed issue, and there is a conversation that we can have rationally and logically about that, but there are others who weaponise it to stir up racial tensions, to stir up division in communities.”
The suspect in the Belfast knife attack entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border by bus in February 2023, having flown to Dublin from Paris. The Sudanese national claimed asylum upon arrival and in September 2023 was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.
There is a “live conversation” among ministers to ensure the common travel area between the UK and Republic of Ireland is “not used as a back route for people to come here and exploit our asylum system”, Ms Turley said.
“If people are exploiting the common travel agreement in this way, that’s not acceptable. That’s not what it’s there for.
“It’s been in existence for over 100 years and it’s absolutely right that people can travel between the island and Northern Ireland freely.
“But it’s really important we make sure that we have a fair system that is led by data and intelligence, and we make sure that people are not able to exploit the asylum system.”
The 30-year-old accused is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. He is also charged with possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and making threats to kill.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched a “critical incident” in response to the original 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. A kitchen knife was recovered from the scene.
