Police water cannon and 16 arrests in second night of racist riots in Belfast
Twelve police officers were injured and 16 people arrested as a xenophobic mob of up to 300 tried to reach a migrant hotel in the second night of violence in Northern Ireland, after a knife attack by a Sudanese asylum seeker sparked far-right protests.
Trigger for violence
A video of a knife attack on Monday evening in north Belfast spread rapidly online. The victim, Stephen Ogilvie, was stabbed multiple times and lost his left eye; he is now in stable condition. The suspect, a 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker named Hadi Alodid, was arrested and charged with attempted murder. The attack served as a flashpoint for far-right agitators who circulated lists of migrant accommodations and called for protests.
First night of destruction
On Tuesday, June 9, crowds of several hundred people in Belfast set vehicles and homes alight, specifically targeting ethnic minorities and foreign nationals. Residents had to be rescued by firefighters and police. UK Minister for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn described the scenes as "racist thuggery". The police chief, Jon Boutcher, called the riots "a massive act of self-destruction by brainless idiots." Twenty-seven people were left homeless after rioters went door-to-door targeting foreign nationals, according to one minister.
Second night and police response
The violence continued on Wednesday, June 10, this time concentrated in the Newtownabbey and Glengormley areas north of Belfast. A crowd of between 200 and 300 people, many masked, erected barricades, set a van and rubbish bins on fire, and threw bricks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at officers. Police deployed a water cannon for the first time to disperse the crowd. Twelve officers were injured and 16 people were arrested. A group attempted to reach a hotel used as asylum seeker accommodation, but officers blocked them. Elsewhere, smaller gatherings in Derry, Coleraine and at Stormont remained largely peaceful.
Far-right incitement and official condemnation
The riots were fuelled by online campaigning. The victim's family issued a statement through police, saying:
Far-right figure Tommy Robinson and Tesla CEO Elon Musk both publicly called for demonstrations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the violence "utterly unjustified".We have observed a great deal of misinformation on social media. We want to make it unequivocally clear: night-time disorder is not welcome.
- Knife attack: Stephen Ogilvie stabbed, losing an eye; suspect Hadi Alodid arrested and charged with attempted murder.
- First night of riots: hundreds rampage through Belfast, setting vehicles and homes alight; ethnic minorities targeted and rescued by police.
- Daytime: schools and shops close, public transport halted, police reinforcements mobilised.
- Second night: water cannon deployed for first time; mob of up to 300 tries to storm migrant hotel; 12 officers injured, 16 arrests.
- Police reinforcements from other UK regions expected to arrive.
Community impact and next steps
Before Wednesday's riots, many schools and shops in Belfast closed and bus and train services were suspended. Police reinforcements from other parts of the UK were expected to arrive on Thursday. The Northern Ireland government condemned the violence, saying it had spread fear and endangered innocent lives. Ministers appealed for calm and urged people not to be misled by online voices.
