A murder attempt by a 30-year-old Sudanese man on a street of Belfast, leaving a man seriously injured, has triggered a wave of violent anti-immigrant protests across Northern Ireland. Protestors torched vehicles and homes, scary visuals of which are in wide circulation on social media.
A Sudanese man is due in a court in Belfast on Wednesday on attempted murder charges for attacking a man in his 40s with a knife, according to reports. The victim suffered serious injuries to his eyes, face and back and was hospitalised. The attack took place in north Belfast and was caught on camera. A graphic clip of the attack surfaced on social media, triggering widespread outrage.
According to police, the accused is a Sudanese man who entered Northern Ireland in 2023 from the Republic of Ireland and was given a five-year asylum in the country.
Homes, vehicles burnt
After the incident, a wave of masked men set homes on fire in Belfast that they believed housed immigrants. They also torched several vehicles and dustbins.
The agitated protestors set a Belfast bus on fire and pelted stones at police, reported news agency Associated Press.
On Tuesday evening, police were seen helping a family escape from a burning house in a broadcast by the BBC. According to local politicians and a pastor, most of those who were targeted in the attacks were Black, reported Reuters.
An immigrant in Belfast, Anselme Shima, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, described Tuesday night as a “horrific one”.
“I’ve lived on my street for almost 10 years, I have a good relationship with my neighbours, but last night was a horrific one. We don’t know what to do. I’m scared. Seeing this, I’m wondering if I’m next,” she said, as quoted by AP.
The violence continued even amid repeated calls by politicians to calm down.
‘This is racism’
The violence was heavily criticised by politicians from both parts of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that there was no justification for the attacks and termed the violence “thuggery”.
“Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” she said.
Northern Ireland’s justice minister Naomi Long said that attacking people on the basis of their skin colour was “racism”.
“If you’re driving people from their homes based on nothing but the colour of their skin, you can’t dress that up any other way, it’s racism, and those bad faith actors need to take a step back,” she told BBC.
How UK PM reacted
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reacted to the violent protests and called them “shocking and completely unacceptable”.
“It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will feel the full force of the law,” Starmer wrote on X.
“I’ve spoken to the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to convey my thanks to them and the frontline emergency services for their bravery in keeping people safe. I’ve also spoken to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to discuss the ongoing situation. Appealing for calm must be the priority, and that is what I urge now. We must let the police get on with their work,” he added
