A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Police in Northern Ireland said the attack took place in north Belfast late on Monday evening. The victim, a man in his 40s, remained in a serious condition in hospital on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as "sickening" after video footage of the incident was widely shared online.
"This is a deeply concerning assault and I have declared this a critical incident," Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said. "We have commenced an investigation to establish a motive."
"We are also aware of footage circulating online and we would strongly urge members of the public not to share or repost these images. Doing so risks causing further trauma to the injured man's loved ones and may impact the ongoing investigation."
A widely shared post on Facebook and WhatsApp called for protests on Tuesday evening.
The attack comes at a time of heightened tensions in Britain following the murder of a student who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer, a Sikh man, falsely alleged a racist attack.
During a debate in the British Parliament in London, some lawmakers called for greater transparency about the Belfast suspect's background, arguing that a lack of confirmed information risked fuelling speculation online and inflaming tensions over immigration.
Northern Ireland's main political party leaders jointly condemned the attack, describing it as "horrific" and urging calm while expressing support for the police investigation.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly earlier described the incident as a "savage and barbaric attack".
Police said the suspect was a 30-year-old Sudanese national. The force corrected an earlier statement that had said the man was believed to be Somali and warned that inaccurate information was continuing to circulate online about both the suspect and the victim's condition.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed a number of regional developments, transport connectivi...
Southeast Asian foreign ministers called for restraint on Tuesday as renewed conflict in the Middle East overshadowed regional talks in Manila, warnin...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said it had struck U.S.-linked military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, claiming damage to air defences and radar sys...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed a number of regional developments, transport connectivity and the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia during talks in Berlin.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said it had struck U.S.-linked military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, claiming damage to air defences and radar systems, as U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran. The IRGC also said two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed its latest review of Ukraine's financing programme, clearing the way for the immediate release of around $690 million in additional support. The latest disbursement brings total funding under the programme to about $2.2 billion.
Türkiye has taken a new technical step to facilitate direct trade with Armenia as part of the ongoing normalisation process between the two countries.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least six people were killed and 21 others injured after two earthquakes struck Peru's central Junín region, destroying dozens of homes and triggering a major emergency response.
Kylian Mbappé has become the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on more than one occasion. The French forward won the award presented to the top goalscorer of the tournament for the second time, despite France being knocked out in the semi-finals.
The United States launched fresh strikes against Iran after two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan. U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to the fallen troops as Iran warned of further escalation.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed a number of regional developments, transport connectivity and the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia during talks in Berlin.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers called for restraint on Tuesday as renewed conflict in the Middle East overshadowed regional talks in Manila, warning that escalating violence could derail diplomatic efforts and threaten global stability.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed its latest review of Ukraine's financing programme, clearing the way for the immediate release of around $690 million in additional support. The latest disbursement brings total funding under the programme to about $2.2 billion.
Japan said on Tuesday it had lodged a diplomatic protest with China after Chinese naval vessels conducted live-fire drills in waters Tokyo considers part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Defence companies are accelerating efforts to develop a new generation of high-speed interceptor drones as Russia increasingly deploys jet-powered versions of its Shahed attack drones, posing a growing challenge to Ukraine's air defences.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment