Serious incidents of far-right and anti-immigrant violence broke out on Tuesday night in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland, following a knife attack that took place on Monday in north Belfast. A 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker has been charged over the attack, which left a man seriously injured, and was expected to appear in court.
According to British and Irish media, groups of protesters, including masked individuals, set fire to homes, cars, bins and a Glider bus, blocked roads and attacked police vehicles. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said it received 62 calls overnight, most of them in the Belfast area.
Belfast has experienced incidents of anti-immigrant violence before, including attacks in August 2024 after the killing of three children in Southport.
Witnesses and local figures reported the targeting of families and properties on racist grounds. A pastor in north Belfast said homes belonging to Black residents were targeted, while an MP described the events as a “racist pogrom.” In one case, an African family that had lived in the area for 20 years left their home after windows were smashed, while a Ukrainian teenager escaped when her family’s front door was set on fire.
Far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson, had called for mobilisations after video of the attack circulated. First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned “masked gangs” who were “burning families out of their homes.” Belfast has seen anti-immigrant violence before, including several days of attacks in August 2024 after the killing of three children in Southport, England.
Sources: BBC, Guardian
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