Belfast erupts in anti-immigration riots after Sudanese man's knife attack leaves victim with severe injuries
Hundreds of protesters blocked roads and set vehicles ablaze across Belfast on Tuesday evening, a day after a Sudanese man was arrested for a knife attack that left a local man with severe injuries to his face, neck, and back.
The attack and arrest
A 30-year-old Sudanese man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a brutal knife attack on a man in his 40s in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast on Monday night. The victim suffered significant injuries to his face, neck, and back and remains hospitalised. A kitchen knife was recovered at the scene. Police said there was no indication the attack was terrorism-related, and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
I do not tolerate abominable scenes of violence like this.
The video and political reaction
Explicit videos of the attack circulated widely online, showing the assailant straddling the victim and striking him repeatedly with a knife. The Daily Telegraph described it as a presumed decapitation attempt before passers-by intervened, one wielding a hurling stick. The footage fuelled national outrage and drew sharp political criticism. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, demanded the public be told the attacker's identity and immigration status. DUP leader Gavin Robinson called for an end to "uncontrolled immigration," stating the suspect had been living in the UK on a five-year visa.
Tuesday's riots
By Tuesday evening, hundreds of protesters, many masked or hooded, gathered at multiple points across Belfast. They set fire to rubbish bins, cars, and at least one bus. A building near the city centre caught fire, forcing residents to evacuate. One resident, Eemran, an engineer of Indian origin, described how protesters lit bins on fire around 7:30 pm and threw Molotov cocktails. "Suddenly the fire broke out, there was smoke in the building and the fire brigade told us to get out," he said. Police helicopters flew overhead as smoke rose from several parts of the city.
Sporadic outbreaks of disorder erupted tonight in several parts of Northern Ireland, with incidents during which several vehicles were set on fire.
Spreading unrest
Unrest spread beyond Belfast. In Ballyclare, about 30 kilometres from the capital, a Turkish-run barbershop was attacked and suffered significant damage to its front door and windows. UUP MP Steve Aiken said violence "has no place" in the community. In Antrim, 25 kilometres west of Belfast, protesters also gathered. On Newtownards Road, a unionist area on the edge of the city centre, more than 100 people assembled, with rubbish containers set alight in the middle of the road.
Calls for calm
Northern Ireland's five main political parties — Sinn Féin, the DUP, Alliance, the UUP, and the SDLP — issued a rare joint statement on Tuesday condemning the stabbing and urging calm. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told the House of Commons to avoid violent protests, warning they would harm local communities. Police Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson confirmed the suspect had permission to reside in the UK and appealed repeatedly for calm. Sinn Féin MP John Finucane urged people to "step away from civil unrest," saying it "benefits absolutely no one."
- Sudanese man attacks a man in his 40s with a knife in north Belfast; victim hospitalised with severe injuries.
- Explicit video of the attack circulates online, sparking national outrage and political criticism.
- Hundreds of protesters gather across Belfast; vehicles and bins set alight.
- Protesters throw Molotov cocktails; a building near the city centre catches fire, residents evacuated.
- Unrest spreads to Ballyclare and Antrim; a Turkish barbershop is attacked.
