Violent anti-immigration protests erupted in parts of Belfast on Tuesday evening, with demonstrators setting fire to vehicles, a bus, and at least one home. The unrest followed a stabbing attack in Northern Ireland’s capital on Monday night that left a man with serious injuries.
Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher confirmed that approximately 100 people now face prosecution in connection with the violence. Extra officers have been deployed to Belfast, with water cannon deployed on Wednesday evening during a second night of disorder.
The Stabbing Incident
On Monday evening, a 40-year-old man identified as Stephen Ogilvie was attacked on a street in north Belfast, suffering injuries to his eyes, face, and back. Police detained and charged a 30-year-old Sudanese man named Hadi Alodid with attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place, and making threats to kill.
The suspect entered Northern Ireland after applying for asylum and was granted a five-year U.K. visa in 2023. He appeared in Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody for four weeks.
Police have stated the attack is not currently being treated as terrorism. The investigation into motive remains ongoing.
Violence Erupts
Despite calls for calm from political leaders across the political spectrum, violent demonstrations broke out Tuesday evening across several areas of Belfast. Video footage verified by news organizations showed protesters—many with their faces covered—attacking police, setting fires, and targeting homes.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service responded to 62 incidents between 7 p.m. and midnight on Tuesday. Among those forced to flee their homes was a two-month-old baby, rescued along with their family as emergency services helped evacuate residents from affected neighborhoods.
At least 27 people have been made homeless as a result of the unrest. In one incident, masked men kicked down the door of a home housing two women and their four children, aged between one and 10 years, before setting fire to the property.
Political Response
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence, stating that those responsible “will feel the full force of the law.” Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill called the scenes “outright thuggery.”
“Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice,” O’Neill said in a statement. “Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur.”
The family of the stabbing victim released a statement expressing devastation over the attack while appealing for calm. “We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome, and peaceful protest is the only way forward,” the statement read. “We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country.”
Executive ministers in Northern Ireland issued a joint statement urging people to “reject violence, reject division and allow the rule of law to prevail.”
Spread of Protests
Protests also occurred in other parts of the United Kingdom on Tuesday evening. In London, demonstrators briefly blocked Parliament Square. In Scotland, protests took place in Glasgow and Edinburgh, where police deployed officers to disperse crowds.
Protests continued in Derry on Wednesday night, with police reporting items set alight on Ardmore Road. A demonstration in Dublin also drew a large crowd outside Leinster House, the seat of the Irish parliament.