Anti‑immigration protests in Belfast escalated into violent unrest on Tuesday night, with buildings and vehicles set on fire and major roads blocked just a day after a stabbing allegedly carried out by a Sudanese refugee shocked the UK.
Hundreds of masked protesters gathered across multiple locations in the city, torching a bus, several cars and a building near the city centre, forcing residents to evacuate. AFP reporters on the ground described widespread fires, heavy police presence and helicopters circling overhead as shops closed early amid rising tension.
Residents caught in the chaos recounted terrifying scenes. Eemran, an engineer originally from India, said protesters began lighting fires in bins before petrol bombs were thrown. “Suddenly the fire started going… we had smoke inside the building,” he said. Another resident, Camila from Chile, who moved to Belfast only a month ago, described the situation as “scary,” saying she understood people’s anger but urged peaceful dialogue.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned the violence, calling the attacks “disgusting cowardice” and urging calm. Crowds also gathered in Antrim, 25 kilometres west of Belfast, as unrest spread beyond the city.
The riots followed the circulation of a graphic video showing a man being repeatedly slashed in the head and neck in a Belfast street. Police confirmed the suspect a 30‑year‑old Sudanese refugee with residency valid until 2028 has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon and making threats to kill. He arrived in the UK in 2023 via Paris and Dublin.
The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered severe injuries to his eyes, back and face. Police recovered what is believed to be a kitchen knife at the scene.
The incident has intensified already‑heightened tensions in the UK following violent clashes in Southampton last week over the handling of another stabbing case. On Tuesday, demonstrators again gathered outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, holding signs reading “no racism, just patriotism” and “enough is enough.”
Far‑right figures amplified the Belfast video online, urging mass protests. Elon Musk retweeted activist Stephen Yaxley‑Lennon (Tommy Robinson), writing: “Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “horrific” and “sickening,” while leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties issued a joint statement condemning the brutality and urging people not to share the graphic footage.
Locals say they are now “living in fear,” worried the unrest could escalate further as anti‑immigration rhetoric spreads online.
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