Masked men burned families out of their homes in Belfast and torched a number of vehicles in a wave of anti-immigrant violence on Tuesday night. The violence followed a knife attack by a Sudanese man that left one person with serious neck and head wounds.
Violence Erupts After Knife Attack
Hundreds of protesters, many with their faces covered, attacked police and burned vehicles in several locations across Northern Ireland. The unrest came after a video of the knife attack went viral. Video broadcast by the BBC showed police helping a family escape from a burning house. Local politicians and a pastor said many of those targeted were Black.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill condemned the attacks, stating: "There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight. Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice."
Prime Minister Starmer Reacts
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the initial knife attack, which took place in north Belfast late on Monday evening, as "sickening." He said: "The horrific attack in Belfast last night is sickening. I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets."
The assault, currently not being treated as terrorism, occurs amid heightened tensions in Britain following the murder of a student who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from stab wounds. The killer, a Sikh man, had falsely alleged a racist attack. The incident also follows repeated protests about immigration, with populist parties claiming Britain's asylum policy allowed dangerous men into the country.
Tech Billionaire Elon Musk Weighs In
Tech billionaire Elon Musk reposted many messages denouncing the state of the United Kingdom. In response to a post from anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson about the north Belfast incident, Musk said: "Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!"
Justice Minister Warns Against 'Bad Faith Actors'
Northern Ireland's Justice Minister Naomi Long told Reuters that "bad faith actors" who would have previously struggled to find the province on a map had sought to weaponize the understandable fear and anger sparked by the knife attack to target those who had the same skin color. "Do not allow your genuine concerns to be manipulated by bad faith actors," she said. "We know in Northern Ireland the damage that can do when you demonize a whole group of people because of the behavior of a few, and we do not want to go back there."
Claire Hanna, the leader of the opposition Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland, described the violence as a "race based pogrom." She told Reuters: "The online ecosystem that talked this up will move on now and the people of Belfast will be left picking up the pieces."
Vehicles Burned Across the City
In Northern Ireland, masked youths gathered early on Tuesday evening at points across Belfast, with police responding by deploying armored vehicles. Rioters set fire to a number of cars across the city, while a bus was engulfed in flames in east Belfast. The BBC reported that a crowd of 100 men kicked in doors and broke windows of homes on a street in east Belfast. Pastor Jack McKee told the BBC after attacks on homes in the north of the city: "They're getting put out just because they're Black."
Suspect Charged
The suspect in the stabbing, a 30-year-old Sudanese national, was charged on Tuesday evening with attempted murder, possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place, and threats to kill. He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back during the "brutal" attack, with a kitchen knife found at the scene, Northern Ireland's Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said. Footage showed a number of members of the public trying to fight off the attacker before police arrived, and they were credited by senior officers with saving the man's life.
Northern Ireland was also hit by anti-immigrant rioting last year amid anger over an alleged sexual assault. Charges against two boys were later withdrawn by the prosecution service.
