Violence broke out in Belfast on Tuesday night as far-right activists called for demonstrations following a stabbing attack. Crowds, including masked individuals, burned vehicles and properties, and blocked roads in and around the city. The unrest came hours after Elon Musk, Tommy Robinson, and others urged people to take to the streets.
Protesters hijacked and set fire to a Glider bus on Newtownards Road in east Belfast, and torched cars near Shankill Road and in Newtownabbey. Smoke billowed as sirens sounded and a police helicopter hovered overhead. The violence erupted after police charged a 30-year-old Sudanese refugee with attempted murder in connection with an attack in north Belfast on Monday night that left a man critically injured.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson appealed for calm, stating: 'We are urging everyone to remain calm, act responsibly, and avoid any activity that could place themselves or others at risk.' He also asked for 'all voices of influence' within local communities to encourage peaceful protest.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill condemned the violence, calling it 'disgusting cowardice' and warning of 'dangerous attempts to exploit' the attack. She urged the public not to be swayed by social media accounts stoking tensions. Sinn Féin MP John Finucane described the scenes as 'shameful,' adding that there is no place for such disorder on the streets.
Groups of men, some in balaclavas, launched fireworks and started fires in bins, buses, and houses. Near Shankill Road, a group stormed a home occupied by an ethnic minority family, claiming to be 'liberating' it. Later, two phone shops were looted and an African shop set on fire. More muted protests occurred in Antrim, Bangor, and Ballymena, while in London, about 60 protesters gathered in Parliament Square, shouting anti-immigrant slogans.
Politicians and community leaders accused the far right of seeking to foment unrest. Tommy Robinson shared the video of the Belfast attack and called for protests across the UK. The stabbing occurred at about 10:30pm on Monday outside flats in north Belfast, with a kitchen knife recovered from the scene. Police said the victim remains in critical condition.
