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Anti-immigration protests erupted across Northern Ireland on Tuesday following the stabbing of an Irish man allegedly by a Sudanese refugee. Numerous vehicles and buildings were consequently set on fire and several businesses were damaged, including a Turkish barber shop in Ballyclare.
The unrest followed a Monday night incident in Belfast, where a Sudanese man, who was granted refugee status in 2023, allegedly seriously injured an Irish man in a knife attack.
Hundreds of protesters, many wearing masks, gathered at multiple locations across Belfast on Tuesday evening, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). A bus and several cars were set on fire, while a building near the city center caught fire, forcing residents to evacuate.
Roads were blocked, and windows of several businesses were smashed, including a Turkish barber shop in Ballyclare.
"By 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. GMT) they started a fire in the bins ... we heard police cars and sirens," said Eemran, an engineer of Indian origin who has lived in Belfast for just over a year.
"More and more people started coming, they started throwing petrol bombs. Suddenly, the fire started going ... we had smoke inside the building ... firefighters came in and told us to go down," he said.
Camila, a 36-year-old Chilean who moved to Belfast a month ago, described the scenes as "scary."
"Of course, I'm not used to it," she said. "I understand the people's rage but also there are ways of discussing these things more peacefully."
Police helicopters patrolled overhead as several shops closed early amid the unrest.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill condemned the violence and appealed for calm.
"Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice," she wrote on X.
"Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur. There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight."
Crowds also gathered in Antrim, around 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Belfast.
The suspect in the knife attack, whose identity has not been released, was charged late Tuesday with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public place and making threats to kill. The 30-year-old is due to appear in court on Wednesday.
As anti-immigration figures, including Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage and Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe, demanded details about the suspect, the U.K. Home Office confirmed he is a Sudanese refugee with permission to remain in the country until 2028.
Northern Ireland police chief Jon Boutcher said the suspect arrived in the United Kingdom in 2023 via Paris and Dublin.
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The attack, captured in a widely circulated video, showed a man repeatedly slashing another man with a knife before bystanders intervened and restrained the attacker until police arrived.
The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered serious injuries to his eyes, back and face and was taken to hospital, according to police. Officers recovered what is believed to be a kitchen knife at the scene.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as "horrific" and "sickening." The leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties jointly condemned the violence and urged the public not to share the graphic footage circulating online.
Technology billionaire Elon Musk earlier reposted a message from anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, stating: "Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!"
Disorder continued in Belfast on Wednesday, with police deploying additional officers as unrest spread across several parts of Northern Ireland's capital.
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