More anti-migrant violence in Belfast, the scene of a brutal urban guerrilla war for the second consecutive night following the stabbing of a 40-year-old radiologist technician on Monday in the Kinnaird Avenue area. The perpetrator of the attack, a 30-year-old Sudanese refugee, was arrested by the police and charged with attempted murder.
Second night of violence
After the clashes on the first night, yesterday too dozens of demonstrators set fire to houses and vehicles, launching “a pogrom” against foreigners. In Glengormley, a town on the outskirts of Belfast, the police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators who had gathered to protest against London’s immigration policies. About a hundred people gathered in different areas of the city, some peacefully, others not. According to the authorities, the situation became tense when groups of protesters threw bricks, bottles and other objects at the officers, also setting some bins on fire, prompting the police to use water cannons to disperse the crowd. Belfast city center was spared the violence, unlike the previous night, when anti-immigrant riots broke out.
The victim lost an eye
The victim of the attack, identified as Stephen Ogilvie, lost an eye. He is hospitalized in stable condition, his family said in a statement released by police last night, adding that they were “disgusted” by the violence that had erupted. These anti-immigrant riots were described as “shocking” by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Northern Ireland police announced the deployment of additional officers. Reinforcements from the rest of the UK are expected to arrive today.
High voltage
Despite appeals for calm, tension in Belfast continues to be very high, with closed shops and deserted streets. Islamophobic graffiti daubs the walls and shutters of shops in the neighborhood where a bus had been set on fire the day before and dozens of immigrant families were forced to leave their homes besieged by the fires. Local authorities and Ofcom have warned social media, accusing several users of fueling anger online and condemning the racism behind the violence. The police also clarified that disclosing the addresses of foreign citizens is a crime.
The refugee arrested
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Sudanese Hadi Alodid appeared in court in Belfast charged with attempted murder; the man refused a lawyer and will remain in custody until the hearing on July 8. The man reportedly arrived in Northern Ireland in February 2023, after flying to Dublin from Paris. Upon his arrival he applied for asylum and in September 2023 he was granted permission to stay in the United Kingdom until 2028. At the moment the reasons for the crazy attack are not yet clear, but investigators have already ruled out the terrorist connection.