Another Night of Violent Riots in Belfast Raises Fears of a Return to Northern Ireland’s Darkest Days

Another night of violent riots broke out in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on the back of the shocking attempted murder earlier this week. Police used water cannons and riot control measures, while the family of the victim made a surprising public appeal.

In brief: A second consecutive night of riots and severe violence on the streets of Belfast. The family of Stephen Ogilvie called on the public to refrain from violence and not exploit their private tragedy. Hadi Alodid, the Sudanese immigrant who attacked Ogilvie, has been charged with attempted murder. Senior figures in Britain strongly criticized the rioters. The Northern Ireland minister attacked them, saying, "What is this if not racist bullying?" In Northern Ireland there is concern about a return to the violent riots of previous decades.

Belfast experienced another night of violent unrest, between Wednesday and Thursday, in the wake of the serious stabbing incident earlier this week, in which a migrant from Sudan tried to murder and behead a local resident. As police confronted rioters in the city streets, the family of Stephen Ogilvie, who was severely injured in the incident, survived the attempted murder and lost one of his eyes, issued a public appeal for calm and made clear that it opposes violence and attempts to exploit the case to stir up hostility against immigrants and minorities.

The riots broke out earlier this week after a video documenting the attempted murder was spread on social media and went viral. Over two nights of chaos, homes, vehicles and a bus were set on fire, and families were forced to flee their homes. British media quoted officials as saying that ethnic minorities and Black residents were the main victims of the rioters. Police were forced to help some residents escape from burning homes. In different parts of the city, the shells of burned cars and heavily damaged houses could be seen.

Last night, on the second night of the riots, security forces used water cannons and armored vehicles against dozens of young people who threw bricks and fireworks at police. However, the extent of the violence was reported to be more limited than the previous night.

Ogilvie’s family issued an unusual statement through police, expressing shock at the scenes in the streets. "We want to make it absolutely clear that the riots are unacceptable to us, and that peaceful protest is the only way forward," the statement said.

The family emphasized that many immigrants make an important contribution to society, including in the health system and the services sector, and called not to use their personal tragedy to incite hostility or division, according to the wording of the statement. They also asked the public to stop spreading false information on social media and to pass any relevant information to the police only.

Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, was severely injured to his face and back during the attack that took place on Monday. His condition was defined as stable. The suspect, Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese citizen, was brought to court and charged with attempted murder, and the court ordered that he remain in custody.

Prime Minister of Britain Keir Starmer condemned the string of events in the capital of Northern Ireland, saying the attack raises difficult questions, but stressed that forcing people from their homes and attacking innocent people is not a legitimate response. According to him, those involved in the riots will be identified and prosecuted. Northern Ireland leaders also strongly criticized the violence in the protests.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill called the actions "disgusting cowardice," while Justice Minister Naomi Long said that bad-faith actors had exploited the public anger and fear following the attempted murder "to incite against people whose only crime is the color of their skin."

The Northern Ireland police commander announced an additional deployment of 200 officers in the streets following calls on social media for further protests. According to him, the rioters did not only harm ethnic minorities, "but society as a whole." Media figures and politicians in Britain expressed concern about the role social networks played in spreading content that led to the escalation, often incorrectly or misleadingly. According to estimates, some of the violence was organized and fueled through posts and messages circulated on various platforms.

The latest riots join a series of similar incidents that have occurred in Northern Ireland in recent years בעקבות crimes attributed to immigrants. Although immigration to Northern Ireland was relatively low for many decades, in recent years the number of immigrants has risen, and at the same time public attitudes toward them have become more extreme. Census data from 2021 showed that 96.6% of Northern Ireland’s residents are white, and in 2025 a record number of racist incidents was recorded.

Hilary Benn, the UK minister for Northern Ireland, attacked the rioters. When asked whether these were racist riots rather than protests, Benn replied: "Well, if you attack people on the basis of the color of their skin, how can you describe it? It is racist bullying. There is no doubt about it, because we are a society in which, as Martin Luther King said, people should be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin."

The current events are stirring memories for many of the period of "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the violent conflict that lasted for about three decades between Irish nationalists and British unionists. Paul Doherty, a Belfast city councillor, said the images from the previous night reminded him of stories about families being burned out or driven from their homes in the 1960s. "People still carry the trauma of those days," he said. "We know where this road leads. We must not allow irresponsible mobs in 2026 to repeat some of the darkest chapters of the past. That is exactly how it felt tonight."