Irish Night of Fury: Migrant Who Attacked Man and ‘Tried to Behead Him’ Triggers Riots

Serious riots broke out overnight, between Tuesday and Wednesday, in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. The unrest followed a violent knife attack by a Sudanese asylum seeker against a man in his 40s from the city, in which the victim was badly injured and the attacker was filmed apparently trying to behead him while he lay on the ground.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said a suspect had been arrested and charged with attempted murder. The man he attacked, a man in his 40s, was evacuated to a local hospital in critical condition, and reports said he was suffering severe injuries to his face, neck and back. The circumstances of the incident are still unclear, and the identities of the attacker and the victim have not yet been released.

In response, thousands of people, encouraged by far-right parties, took to the city’s streets, set fire to trash bins and vehicles, and clashed with local police. The protesters chanted against British immigration policy. Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, one of the most prominent voices in Britain against immigration and Muslim immigration in particular, shared a video last night of a bus being set on fire and wrote: “Belfast is burning, Britain’s politicians have let us all down.” He later published a list of protest centers he said were planned across Britain, alongside the caption: “The whole of the United Kingdom is taking to the streets tonight at 7 p.m., after yet another intruder attacked our people. It’s time.”

Local fire services were dispatched to more than 60 fire scenes. The Police Service of Northern Ireland, one of the four territories that make up the United Kingdom, said last night that several “sporadic” cases of public disorder had been recorded: “Officers are on the ground and working with partner agencies, responding to incidents as they arise and helping to keep people safe.”

The Home Office said the attacker had leave to remain in Britain until 2028. He entered Britain in 2023 and was granted refugee status that same year. He is not known to police. The images from Belfast drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as “sickening,” adding that he had “no tolerance for disgusting scenes of violence like this on our streets.” In light of calls to protest, the prime minister’s office urged restraint: “This is a time for calm, and it is important that police have the time and space to investigate properly.”