People in black hoodies, some of them masked, gathered in Belfast on Tuesday evening to demonstrate. In several places in the Northern Irish capital, the protests degenerated into violence. Vehicles were set on fire. People, including children, were forced to leave their homes and several residential buildings were destroyed in the flames.
On Wednesday morning, Belfast residents were greeted by burnt-out car bodies and fire-damaged house facades in several parts of the city.
The unrest continued on Thursday night, albeit at a somewhat reduced intensity. Among other things, the police used water cannon to disperse a crowd. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told Sky News that twelve police officers were injured on Wednesday.
A case in which an asylum-seeking Sudanese man is accused of attempting to stab another man to death on a city street on Monday became the spark that ignited the protests.
Evil intent
There have been reports that forces on the internet 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 people's 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.
She said this on BBC Radio 4, The Guardian writes.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had 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 out 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 December, student Henry Nowak was stabbed to death in Southampton, England. The assailant initially falsely claimed Nowak had racially attacked him. When police arrived at the scene, Nowak was treated as a victim rather than a suspect, 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 committed by people from foreign backgrounds have also previously led to protests. Among them was a high-profile case in Southport, England, in 2024, when three girls were stabbed to death by an 18-year-old. The perpetrator was born in the UK but had an immigrant background.
