Belfast riots flare after attempted murder charge in knife attack case

Violence broke out across parts of Northern Ireland on Tuesday night after a man was charged with attempted murder following a knife attack in Belfast.

Masked protesters gathered in several areas, including Belfast, Newtownabbey and Kilkeel, where houses, vehicles and barricades were set on fire.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned the unrest, saying groups of masked men were “burning families out of their homes” in scenes of “outright thuggery.”

The protests followed police confirmation that a 30-year-old Sudanese man had been charged over Monday night’s knife attack in north Belfast. The victim suffered injuries to his eyes, back and face and remains in hospital.

“The attack in North Belfast was heinous and wrong. But there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target and attack innocent people who are simply trying to live, work and raise their families here. Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur,” O’Neill wrote on X.

Police said there was currently no evidence linking the stabbing to terrorism. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson added that the suspect had legal permission to live in Northern Ireland.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the knife attack as “horrific” and “sickening,” while urging calm as tensions continued to rise across the region.