A senior Northern Ireland minister has stated that the recent disorder in Belfast was fueled by individuals online who would have struggled to locate the city on a map prior to a stabbing attack. Naomi Long, the minister of justice and leader of the Alliance party, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that 'bad faith actors' had incited racism in the city.
Rioters set fire to bus and properties
On Tuesday evening, rioters set fire to a bus and properties in Belfast during what were described as 'protests' following a stabbing incident. The attack was allegedly committed by a 30-year-old Sudanese refugee who has been charged with attempted murder. He is scheduled to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Minister's response to the violence
Long expressed that everyone was 'absolutely horrified and terrified' after the brutal attack on Sunday night. She acknowledged that tensions are high and people are frightened and angry. However, she emphasized that genuine fear was being weaponized by online actors to turn the incident into an anti-immigration or racist protest. She stated: 'Ultimately if you're driving people from their homes based on the colour of their skin you can't dress that up any other way – it's racism.'
Long urged those bad faith actors to step back, noting that Northern Ireland knows better than anyone else the consequences of demonizing an entire group of people. She appealed to the public to let the justice system take its course, highlighting that the attack was carried out by one individual and that other innocent people were victimized during the protests.
Police investigation and immigration details
Detectives have stated that there is no indication the knife attack was terror-related. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched a 'critical incident' in response. Earlier on Tuesday, police revealed details about the suspect's immigration status: he entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border in February 2023 after flying from Paris to Dublin. He claimed asylum upon arrival and was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028 in September 2023.
The stabbing was captured on video, appearing to show the man stabbing at the victim's head and neck while the victim was on the ground.
