Anti-immigrant violence erupted across Belfast on Tuesday night following a knife attack that left a man in his 40s seriously injured, prompting widespread condemnation from political leaders and renewed concerns over rising racial tensions in Northern Ireland.
Hundreds of protesters, many of them masked, blocked roads, attacked police, torched vehicles and targeted homes in several areas of the city after footage of the stabbing circulated widely online.
Authorities said the suspect, 30-year-old Sudanese national Hadi Alodid, was charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public place and making threats to kill.
The victim suffered significant injuries, including the loss of an eye, according to court proceedings.
Police and emergency services were forced to evacuate residents as houses, cars and a bus were set on fire during the unrest.
Political leaders said ethnic minorities were specifically targeted during the attacks.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said those responsible would face the full force of the law, while Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the violence as “nothing less than disgusting cowardice”.
Pastor Jack McKee told the BBC that some long-term residents were being driven from their homes solely because they were Black.
Smaller anti-immigration protests were also reported in London, Glasgow and Edinburgh, highlighting concerns that tensions were spreading beyond Northern Ireland.
Officials pointed to social media as a key factor in escalating anger following the stabbing.
Videos of the attack circulated throughout Tuesday, accompanied by calls for demonstrations and anti-immigration protests.
Justice Minister Naomi Long accused “bad faith actors” of exploiting public concern and directing hostility toward ethnic minority communities.
She warned against allowing fear and anger to be manipulated into broader attacks against entire groups.
Elon Musk amplified calls for protest by reposting messages from anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson, while other anti-immigration figures demanded details about the suspect’s immigration status.
The unrest comes amid broader debates over immigration policy across the United Kingdom and follows previous episodes of anti-immigrant violence in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in Britain.
Analysts and rights groups have warned that online misinformation and growing political polarization risk further inflaming tensions and increasing threats against vulnerable communities.