Saturday, July 4Saturday, July 423 days · 2 summary articles
Racially motivated Belfast home attack sparks nationwide anti-racism protests
Belfast erupts again as anti-immigrant riots spread after stabbing attack
Belfast descended into its second consecutive night of anti-immigrant violence on Wednesday as masked mobs torched homes and cars, hurling bricks and petrol bombs at police who responded with water cannons. The unrest, which erupted after a brutal stabbing attack on Monday, has now spread beyond the city, with rioters in Derry setting fires on the Ardmore Road . Authorities reported at least 12 arrests as the violence showed no sign of abating.
Rioters, many wearing balaclavas, targeted immigrant communities across Belfast, smashing windows and setting vehicles ablaze. In one incident, demonstrators used sections of a dismantled picket fence as makeshift shields while hurling paving stones and Molotov cocktails at officers . Police deployed water cannons for the second straight evening, dispersing crowds in the Shankill and Falls Road areas, traditional flashpoints for sectarian tension. Schools in the city were closed on Thursday, and public transport services remained suspended amid fears of further unrest.
The violence was triggered by Monday’s knife attack in east Belfast, in which a 30-year-old Sudanese man allegedly stabbed a local man in what police have described as a “brutal and unprovoked” assault. The suspect, who appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder, remains in custody . The victim’s family issued a statement on Wednesday, saying they were “disgusted” by the disorder and urging calm. “This is not what we want,” a spokesperson told local media. “We just want justice for our son.”
Politicians across the spectrum condemned the riots. Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, described the scenes as “shameful” and called for an end to the violence. “These attacks on our communities are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” she said in a statement. Opposition leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson urged restraint, warning that “far-right agitators” were exploiting the incident to stoke division. Social media footage of the stabbing, which went viral within minutes, has been widely cited as a catalyst for the unrest, with far-right groups amplifying calls for retaliation .
The unrest has drawn international attention, with the European Union’s foreign policy chief calling for “de-escalation and respect for the rule of law.” Meanwhile, in Southampton, far-right protesters staged a separate demonstration demanding the deportation of migrants, underscoring the broader climate of hostility across the UK . As Belfast braces for a potential third night of violence, community leaders are pleading for dialogue to prevent further bloodshed. “We cannot let fear and hatred dictate our future,” said Paddy Smyth, a local councillor. “This city has seen enough division.”
Follow us for live European news
3 further sources not geolocated
Nouvelle nuit de manifestations à Belfast, la police utilise un canon à eau La police a utilisé un canon à eau mercredi soir pour disperser des manifestants près de Belfast, théâtre pour la deuxième nuit consécutive de violences localisées, après une attaque au couteau pour laquelle un réfugié soudanais a été inculpé. ...
la libre · 23 days ago
Nach Messerangriff durch Sudanesen – erneut gewalttätige Proteste gegen Migranten in Belfast Eine Bluttat verschärft die Spannungen im Vereinigten Königreich: In Southampton fordern Demonstranten Abschiebungen, in Belfast brennen Häuser und Autos.
welt.de · 23 days ago
Settlers burn Christian village 🔥 Illegal Israeli settlers attacked the Christian village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, burning agricultural fields and throwing Molotov cocktails at homes.
yenisafak · 23 days ago
Amnesty wirft Israel ethnische Säuberung im Westjordanland vor Israel weist die Vorwürfe zurück: Amnesty International sei zu einer „realitätsfernen politischen Randorganisation geworden.
die presse · 23 days ago
Second night of unrest in Northern Ireland as victims family say they are disgusted by disorder In Derry, police reported items having been set alight on the Ardmore Road.
thejournal · 23 days ago
Police in Belfast use water cannon as anti-immigrant unrest continues Clashes come as family of knife attack victim calls for calm and condemns violence targeting immigrants.
aljazeera · 23 days ago
How the Belfast stabbing was the spark to a fuse loaded with grievance and provocation Politicians, social media and far-right agitators convinced people that migrant-targeting violence would solve all their problemsWithin minutes of the footage going online – of a Black man stabbing a white man – there was a sense of inexorability to what came next in Northern Ireland.The grievances, the social media platforms, the politicians doublespeak and the international cheerleaders all provided a fuse. On Monday night came the spark. Continue reading...
theguardian · 23 days ago
United Kingdom faces new night of riots in Belfast following stabbing incident After a Sudanese man stabbed a Northern Irish man, dozens of masked men targeted homes occupied by people of immigrant origin. As in recent similar episodes, far-right activists are exploiting the incident and amplifying it on social media.
le monde · 23 days ago
![[lalibre] Nouvelle nuit de manifestations à Belfast, la police utilise un canon à eau #Europe](https://files.mastodon.social/cache/preview_cards/images/196/186/104/original/363086f3e9682e56.jpg)
[lalibre] Nouvelle nuit de manifestations à Belfast, la police utilise un canon à eau #Europe
mastodon bot · 23 days ago
Police deployed a water cannon against protesters throwing bricks in Belfast on June 10, as anti-immigrant unrest sparked by a knife attack spread across Northern Ireland for a second consecutive day.
bluesky bot · 23 days ago
Vízágyút vetett be Belfastban a rendőrség a zavargások miatt A brutális késes támadás után két nappal is folytatódtak a zavargások Észak-Írországban. A szudáni származású támadó gyilkossági kísérlet vádjával került bíróság elé szerdán.
444.hu · 23 days ago
Neue Ausschreitungen in Belfast – Polizei setzt Wasserwerfer ein In Belfast wächst nach fremdenfeindlichen Ausschreitungen die Angst vor neuer Gewalt. Rechtsextreme mobilisieren weiter, Schulen schließen, der Nahverkehr steht still. Die Polizei setzt Wasserwerfer gegen gewalttätige Demonstranten ein.
welt.de · 23 days ago
Våld och bränder efter brutalt knivdåd i Belfast Brända fordon, evakuerade hem och våldsamma protester.Politiker och polis manar till lugn efter urartade invandringskritiska demonstrationer till följd av ett brutalt mordförsök i Belfast.
svenska dagbladet · 23 days ago
Nordirland: Polizei setzt Wasserwerfer gegen Demonstranten ein Belfast wird aktuell von rassistischen Krawallen erschüttert. Die Proteste dürften mittlerweile aber ruhiger verlaufen
der standard · 23 days ago
Police fire water cannon in Belfast as stabbing sparks second night of unrest Police blasted water cannons at protesters in Northern Ireland who set small fires and hurled bricks, rocks and bottles at them during a second night of violence Wednesday over a brutal stabbing on a Belfast street. Demonstrators wearing masks tore bricks from the walls outside homes and smashed pavements with sledgehammers to toss at riot police. In one place, the unruly crowd used sections of a dismantled picket fence to take cover on the street. The clashes with police came several hours...
south china morning post · 23 days ago
Anti-immigrant protesters clash with police, torch car at Belfast rally Anti-immigrant demonstrators rallied for another day in Belfast, Northern Ireland, lighting a car on fire.
aljazeera · 23 days ago
Den zweiten Abend in Folge: Neue ausländerfeindliche Proteste in Nordirland In Nordirland ist es erneut zu Gewalt bei ausländerfeindlichen Protesten gekommen. Die Polizei ging in der Nähe von Belfast mit Wasserwerfern gegen Demonstranten vor.
tagesspiegel · 23 days ago
Ismét zavargások törtek ki Észak-Írországban a késes támadás miatt Szerda este Belfast utcáin több százan gyűltek össze, és benzinespalackokkal, téglákkal dobálták az útjukat álló rendőröket. A zavargások előzménye egy hétfő esti késes támadás.
hvg.hu · 23 days ago