Police cordoned off areas of Belfast after an attack left a man seriously injured on Monday. The incident has heightened fears among the city's Sudanese community, who are bracing for potential anti-immigrant protests.
Barber shop owner's experience
A Sudanese barber shop owner in Belfast was at his cash register, smiling when asked if he felt safe in the city. Two men in their 20s, white and wearing grey tracksuits, paused at his open doorway and unleashed a sudden, shrieking howl. The outburst ended as abruptly as it began, and the men resumed their stroll without a word. The barber shop staff, all from sub-Saharan Africa, remained silent. The owner continued smiling but said, 'You can never be safe. I can at least close early.'
Background of the attack
Fears grew on Tuesday that dozens of anti-immigrant protests could erupt across Northern Ireland after a Sudanese asylum seeker, aged 30, was arrested and later charged with attempted murder. He is set to appear in court on Wednesday. Footage of Monday night's attack spread on social media, becoming a rallying call for far-right figures including Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk.
By 4pm on Tuesday, all foreign-owned stores on Sandy Row in central Belfast had pulled down steel shutters, and staff hurried home. Similar scenes occurred in other parts of Belfast. Protests were expected to start at 7pm, and from past experience, store owners and workers knew the situation could escalate. 'We've been sharing the same messages all day: go home early, stay inside, don't go out,' said Mohammed Mahmoud, 39, a Sudanese grocery store employee. 'No one knows what will happen.'
Community concerns
Mahmoud's phone buzzed with alerts from friends starting at 2am on Tuesday as the grisly video spread online, along with vows from commentators to take action against immigrants. He said his five years in Northern Ireland had taught him wariness: 'Some people are angry all the time. But not everyone is angry; some people are very nice.'
Ali Adan, 38, another Sudanese shopkeeper who has lived in the region for 18 years, noted that race relations have worsened since 2018, with racial tensions in England spilling into Northern Ireland and vice versa. 'Something happens and people point the finger at every immigrant.'
Previous incidents
The hub of ethnic minority stores around Sandy Row, traditionally a loyalist area, experienced several days of rioting in August 2024 following the Southport killings. Mobs smashed, burned, and looted, with some targeting a specific store owner and shouting, 'Where is Mohammed?' Subsequently, vigilante groups began patrols, challenging dark-skinned males to produce identification and explain their presence in Belfast.
Police told business owners on Tuesday that the next 24 hours were critical in determining whether people would heed calls from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other mainstream politicians to remain calm and let the investigation proceed, or take to the streets for possible vigilante action.
Community response
The barber shop owner, who declined to give his name, remained phlegmatic: 'Who knows what will happen? If tonight goes OK, I might open in the morning. If it does not go OK, I won't.'
The Belfast Islamic Centre cancelled evening prayers and urged its congregation to stay calm, remain home, ignore rumours, and follow official advice. 'This is a big challenge. We're thinking about safety but we don't want to raise panic in the community,' said Ameer Ibrahim, the centre's project manager, speaking in a personal capacity. 'It's a time for calm. We want to hope for the best.'
After a four-year hiatus, the Sudanese Community Association Northern Ireland met last Saturday and elected a new executive committee, which now faces a potential baptism of fire. 'We are against violence from any group,' a representative said in a phone interview. 'We want peace. We are part of the community in Northern Ireland.'
