Anti‑immigrant violence swept across Belfast on Tuesday night, as masked groups attacked homes, clashed with police and set vehicles alight following a stabbing incident that had already heightened tensions in the city.
Hundreds of protesters, many with their faces covered, gathered in several areas and carried out coordinated attacks, targeting properties and residents.
Witness footage showed homes burning while police officers helped families escape, and rioters setting fire to cars and a bus.
In some districts, groups reportedly forced entry into houses and vandalised property, with local figures saying that Black residents were among those specifically targeted. Police deployed armoured vehicles in response as unrest spread.
The violence followed a knife attack late on Monday in north Belfast, in which a man in his 40s sustained serious injuries, including wounds to the head and neck.
The suspect, a 30‑year‑old Sudanese national, has been charged with attempted murder as well as weapons-related offences and is due to appear in court.
Authorities said members of the public intervened during the attack and helped restrain the suspect before police arrived.
Political leaders strongly condemned the unrest. Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the attacks as “disgusting cowardice,” while Justice Minister Naomi Long warned that public anger had been exploited by “bad faith actors” to incite violence against minority communities.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the assault "horrific" and "sickening" while thanking members of the public who intervened in the attack.
Opposition figures described the attacks as racially motivated and warned of long-term damage to community relations.
The unrest comes amid broader tensions around immigration across the UK, with protests and political debate intensifying in recent months.
Smaller demonstrations were also reported elsewhere, including outside parliament in London, as officials urged restraint and warned against further escalation while investigations continue.
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at ...
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, met on 14 October to discuss bilateral ties and key regional and inte...
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Thousands of young Georgians leave the country each year in search of better economic opportunities, with many moving west. As questions grow over Georgia’s European path, AnewZ spoke to people who have emigrated about what it would take for them to return.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
A 62-year-old man died on Wednesday after floodwaters swept his car into the sea on the Greek island of Rhodes, as torrential rain flooded roads, stranded vehicles and disrupted transport across the island.
A failure by the U.S. and Iran to reach an agreement on a UN-backed fertiliser shipping plan for the Strait of Hormuz within weeks could trigger a food security crisis in parts of Asia and Africa, a senior UN official has warned.
Pope Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer, after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican says the tumour was detected during a routine health check, but its stage and whether it has spread remain unknown.
Greek students braved heavy rain to pitch tents outside parliament in Athens on Tuesday, demanding affordable housing and more education funding as rising living costs put university places beyond the reach of some students.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment