Anti-immigrant unrest continued in Northern Ireland for a second consecutive night, with police using a water cannon to disperse a crowd of around 300 people near Newtownabbey, north of Belfast. According to the authorities, those gathered set up barricades, set vehicles on fire and threw bricks and petrol bombs, while they were reportedly planning to move towards a hotel where they believed asylum seekers were being housed.
The unrest broke out after the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie in north Belfast, which left the victim seriously injured and caused him to lose his left eye. The 30-year-old Sudanese man Hadi Alodid has been charged in connection with the case and appeared before a court facing, among other charges, attempted murder and possession of a knife.
The previous night’s unrest, which followed calls by Elon Musk and far-right figure Tommy Robinson, targeted migrant-owned property.
Ogilvie’s family condemned the violence, urging that their tragedy not be used “to fuel hostility.” In a statement, they stressed that their only priority is the victim’s recovery and underlined that many migrants make an important contribution to British society, including in healthcare and hospitality.
The previous night, groups, including masked individuals, set fire to homes and vehicles and blocked roads in Belfast, targeting migrant-owned property and forcing families of various nationalities to leave their homes. The incidents took place just hours after online calls by Elon Musk, far-right figure Tommy Robinson and others encouraging people to take to the streets.
