Police used water cannons on rioters in Northern Ireland after a second night of violence triggered by a knife attack in Belfast. Balaclava-clad demonstrators ripped bricks from homes and used sledgehammers to crack paving stones to create projectiles to pelt officers with in Co Antrim. Roaming mobs could also be seen taking wheelie bins from outside homes and lighting fires in them.
Public Transport Suspended and Schools Closed
Public transport was suspended and some schools closed early yesterday amid fears of further disorder. Translink suspended all services due to expected protests. The violence followed the arrest of Hadi Alodid, 30, who appeared in court charged with attempted murder over Monday's knife attack in which the victim, Stephen Ogilvie, lost an eye.
Victim's Family Pleads for End to Disorder
Mr Ogilvie, who is aged in his 40s, is in a stable condition in hospital in Belfast, his family said. It is understood he is in an induced coma. His relatives issued a statement saying the violent disorder 'is not supported by our family'. They added: 'We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility – do not do this in the name of our loved one as we do not share the same values.'
The family also condemned the sharing of false information on social media, calling it 'deeply distressing'. They said: 'We have been left feeling disgusted by the scenes that unfolded yesterday across Northern Ireland in the wake of what happened. We want to make it absolutely clear that to do this in response is not supported by our family, and peaceful protest is only ever the way forward.'
Clashes and Water Cannon Use
On the second night of riots, police faced crowds throwing projectiles near the Sandyknowes roundabout in Newtownabbey. Rioters in masks dismantled property, made projectiles, and clashed with police. A car was set alight on the Antrim Road, and fires were lit. Police used water cannons to keep protesters away from an 'ex-migrant hotel' and to put out a roadblock inferno.
Footage showed demonstrators kicking bricks off a property on Antrim Road and throwing them at police lines. Balaclava-clad rioters also took wheelie bins from homes and set them on fire. Some retreating rioters used wheelie bins to defend themselves from police water cannons, and a garden fence was removed to use as a shield.
Disorder Spreads Beyond Belfast
Unrest also spread to Derry, with similar scenes of violence and vandalism. In Glasgow, a demonstration involving approximately 250 people turned violent, with three men arrested. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said members of the public were attacked because of the colour of their skin, and officers were also attacked. Three members of the public and two police officers were injured.
Background and Community Response
It emerged that Stephen Ogilvie had previously been the victim of a horrific attack in Scotland in 2001, where he was drugged, stripped, and set on fire by a drug dealer. He later returned to Belfast.
The Sudan Embassy in London condemned the attack, describing it as 'heinous' and 'individual behaviour that does not represent the Sudanese community'. The PSNI issued an AI warning after inaccurate images of the victim were circulated online, urging the public not to share footage of the attack.
Authorities condemned the disorder, increased police presence, made arrests, and warned of further legal consequences. The family of the victim urged calm and called for privacy, thanking those who bravely intervened during the attack.
