People in black hoodies, some masked, gathered in Belfast on Tuesday evening to demonstrate. In several parts of the Northern Irish capital, the protests turned violent. Vehicles were set on fire, and people, including children, were forced to leave their homes. Several residential buildings were destroyed by the flames.
On Wednesday morning, Belfast residents were greeted by burnt-out cars and fire-damaged house facades in several parts of the city.
A case in which an asylum-seeking Sudanese man is accused of attempting to stab a man to death on a city street on Monday became the spark that ignited the protests.
Evil intent
There have been reports that online forces are fueling racism in the UK. In the latest case, the world's richest man, Elon Musk, shared a photo from the stabbing with the caption "millions must go".
According to Northern Ireland's Justice Minister Naomi Long, people with malicious intent have used fears to fuel the protests.
"After all, if you drive people out of their homes because of the colour of their skin, you can't see it any other way - it's racism."
The Guardian reports she said this on BBC Radio 4.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who previously condemned the stabbing as "horrific", described the events as "shocking and completely unacceptable".
"Nothing can justify the violence and disorder we have seen threatening our communities," he wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, also pointing to those who encouraged it.
"It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will feel the full force of the law."
Multiple acts
In a separate incident in December, student Henry Nowak was stabbed to death in Southampton, England. The assailant was a man who initially falsely accused Nowak of a racist attack on him. When police arrived at the scene, Nowak was treated as a suspect rather than a victim, and he later died.
Far-right politicians have blamed the attack on immigration, and after a recording of the incident was released, a demonstration turned violent last week.
Violent acts by people with foreign backgrounds have also previously led to protests. Among them was a high-profile case in Southport, England, in 2024, when three girls were killed by an 18-year-old. The perpetrator was born in the UK but has an immigrant background.
