Setting fire to vehicles by demonstrators. (AP photo)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday strongly condemned the violence against immigrants that broke out in Belfast overnight, describing the scenes as “shocking and completely unacceptable” and vowed that those behind this chaos would face “the full force of the law.”
““People were clearly targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate that,” Starmer said after rioters attacked homes, burned cars and clashed with police in several parts of Northern Ireland’s capital.
The British Prime Minister said he spoke with the Chief of Police of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to thank officers and emergency responders for their efforts, and also discussed the situation with the First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Deputy First Minister.“The priority must be to demand calm,” Starmer said, urging people to let the police do their job.
Violence broke out after a knife attack
The disturbances followed a knife attack in north Belfast late on Monday evening that left a man in his 40s seriously injured. Since then, a 30-year-old Sudanese national has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a sharp object in a public place, and threatening to kill.The suspect is scheduled to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
According to police, the victim suffered serious injuries to his eyes as well as cuts to his face and back during what officers described as a “brutal” assault. A kitchen knife was found at the scene.Video footage circulated online showed members of the public trying to restrain the attacker before police arrived. Senior officers later credited those who intervened with helping to save the victim’s life.
Homes were attacked, and vehicles were set on fire
As news and footage of the stabbing spread online, hundreds of protesters gathered across Belfast on Tuesday evening. Many of them had their faces covered, and police deployed armored vehicles in several flashpoints.Rioters set fire to several cars across the city, while a bus caught fire in east Belfast. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that about 100 men targeted homes on a street in east Belfast, kicking doors and smashing windows.Pastor Jack McKee told the radio that it appeared black residents were specifically targeted during some of the attacks.Families were reportedly forced from their homes as masked groups invaded affected neighborhoods.
What Starmer said about the knife attack
Before condemning the riots, Starmer described the original stabbing as “disgusting”. The Prime Minister’s comments came as authorities continue to investigate the incident, which police said is not currently being treated as an act of terrorism.The violence in Belfast comes amid rising tensions over immigration and public safety in parts of the UK. Northern Ireland saw similar anti-immigrant riots last year after allegations of sexual assault, although charges against two boys arrested in the case were later withdrawn.The latest unrest also follows a series of immigration protests across Britain, with critics of the government’s asylum policies saying current systems have allowed potentially dangerous individuals to enter the country.Police called for calm as investigations into the stabbing incident and the disturbance that followed continued.