Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Belfast on Tuesday night after a Sudanese asylum seeke was charged with a brutal knife attack that left a local man with serious injuries.
The protests erupted after footage of Monday night’s attack circulated widely online, sparking further anger against mass immigration.
Police deployed armored vehicles as crowds gathered in several parts of the city.
Some vehicles were set on fire during the unrest, including a bus, while clashes broke out between protesters and officers.
There were also reports of protesters breaking into migrant houses and setting them ablaze.
The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered severe injuries to his eyes as well as slash wounds to his face and back. Police later recovered a kitchen knife from the scene.
Video footage showed members of the public confronting the attacker before police arrived. Senior officers later credited those bystanders with helping save the victim’s life.
The suspect, identified as a 30-year-old Sudanese national, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and making threats to kill.
He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Police said the man was granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom in September 2023 after claiming asylum.
He had arrived in Belfast from Dublin earlier that year after flying into Ireland from Paris.
The incident comes amid growing public fury over the Labour government’s refusal to stop mass immigration as well a series of high-profile violent crimes involving migrants across Britain.
Hellbound and Down 