Hooded mobs of rioters targeted migrants' taxpayer-funded homes in Belfast and burnt businesses, police cars and buses
Masked rioters go door-to-door in Belfast burning migrants’ homes and targeting foreign-owned businesses after knife attackGroups of masked thugs targeted homes and businesses owned by migrants in Belfast after a a Sudanese asylum seeker was charged with attempted murder over a “sickening” knife attack.
Protesters set fire to multiple homes, a Middle Eastern supermarket and several vehicles, including a bus and a police car, and vandalised a barber shop after ignoring calls for calm. Residents and neighbours were forced to flee for their lives as flames engulfed terraced properties in Belfast. The disorder, which has been condemned as ‘thuggery’ by politicians, broke out after a Sudanese man, 30, charged over a frenzied knife attack on a man in a street on Monday night.
The victim, in his 40s and named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, suffered “significant injuries” to his eyes, face, neck and back. He remains in a serious condition in hospital. The suspect is believed to have travelled from Sudan to Paris and then to Dublin, before taking a bus to Belfast in February 2023, according to police. He used the ‘Irish route’ immigration loophole to claim asylum and was given leave to remain in the UK in September that year.
The Home Office confirmed that the suspect was granted refugee status after arriving in the UK and was granted leave to remain until 2028. Homes were set alight on Oakley Street, Legann Street and the Crumlin Road in the north-west of Belfast. Footage emerged online of groups of hooded men smashing in windows and kicking doors of properties they believe to be lived in by migrants. Sham supermarket, a Middle Eastern shop, on Donegal Road, was set on fire.
Police vehicles and a bus were also set alight. There was also footage circulating online of a Turkish barber shop that had its windows smashed in. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said there have been "sporadic pockets of disorder" in a number of locations across Northern Ireland tonight.
"Officers are on the ground, working alongside partner agencies, responding to incidents as they arise and helping to keep people safe. " He asked "all voices of influence within local communities to encourage peaceful protest and discourage any involvement in violence or disorder". The Glider bus is in the centre of a massive blaze after hundreds descended on the city to protest on Tuesday.
Masked males set commercial bins alight and pushed them into the bus on the Newtownards Road in the east of the city. Disorder related to the stabbing attack has not been limited to Northern Ireland, with protesters also taking to the streets in Southampton. Dozens were seen in the Hampshire city which has seen several waves of protests over the murder of Henry Nowak and issue of "two-tier policing" which some suggest played a part in his death.
A 30-year-old Sudanese national arrested in connection with the attack has since been charged with attempted murder. NI's First Minister, Michelle O'Neill, condemned the violence, writing: "Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.
"The attack in North Belfast was heinous and wrong. But there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target and attack innocent people who are simply trying to live, work and raise their families here.
"Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur. There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight. Peter McReynolds, Alliance party assembly member for East Belfast, said he is "disgusted" at the "destruction and violence" that has erupted. On a post on Facebook, McReynolds said: "This serves no one, changes nothing and damages our community.
"Thoughts with the Glider staff, our community in fear this evening during this destruction and our under pressure PSNI officers facing down this violence this evening. " Northern Ireland's public transport operator Translink has said: “We utterly condemn this attack on our service. “The safety of our staff and customers is our top priority and all Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus and Goldliner services have been suspended.
The police have said there is no information at this stage that the stabbing was terror-related. It has been revealed that the suspect from Sudan has leave to remain in the UK until 2028. He entered the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status the same year.
According to the Home Office, he claimed to have entered the UK via the Common Travel Area, the passport-free travel zone that includes the Republic of Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Police initially said they believed the suspect in custody was from Somalia, but later clarified that he is Sudanese. The man suffered “significant injuries to his eyes”, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said as they gave further details about the "barbaric" attack.
He said that the victim was "taken to hospital with significant injuries to his eyes and serious slash wound injuries to his back and face". GettyThe leaders of the five largest parties at Stormont issued a joint statement in response to the attack.
Sinn Féin vice president and Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill, DUP leader Mr Robinson, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, UUP leader Jon Burrows and SDLP leader Claire Hanna said they were “united in our condemnation of the horrific incident in North Belfast last night”.
“Our immediate thoughts are with the victim and his family, and we hope he makes a full and complete recovery. “Our thoughts are also with those eyewitnesses to the incident, as well as those brave members of the public who intervened. “We urge people not to share the deeply disturbing images or videos, as their graphic nature would only serve to retraumatise those involved. ”I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.
My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who…“I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.
“My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who intervened. "
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