A night of riots in Northern Ireland: Hundreds of anti-immigration protesters took to the streets of Belfast and other cities on Tuesday night, a day after a Sudanese migrant stabbed a local man in what appeared in footage to be an attempt to behead him, in an attack that shocked Britain. Masked rioters set fire to a bus, cars and homes, and families were rescued from their burning houses. Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill said, "Masked men burning families inside their homes is disgusting cowardice."
According to reports by the BBC, the riots broke out at several locations across Belfast, and police deployed armored vehicles. In the east of the city, a bus was set on fire, and about 100 masked men kicked at house doors and smashed windows. A BBC correspondent said the rioters said they were "getting the foreigners out," and videos shared on social media captured similar curses, insults and threats. Several homes went up in flames in the north of the city, while in the east a family was rescued from a burning house and taken to a police vehicle. The public transport company suspended all bus services in the city, police helicopters circled overhead, and shops closed early.
Riots were also reported in several other cities and towns across Northern Ireland: a police vehicle was set on fire in Portadown, a Turkish barbershop was attacked, and in Antrim and Londonderry protesters blocked main roads. Protests were also held outside the island of Ireland: demonstrators gathered in central Glasgow and Edinburgh, dozens blocked Parliament Square in London, and in Southampton, where violent clashes erupted last week over the murder case of Henry Novak, protesters gathered outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.
The Irish Times reported that in one Protestant neighborhood in Belfast, a sign placed near a burning barricade read, "Women and children are not safe in this area." A woman standing by the barricade told the newspaper of the masked demonstrators there, "These are Catholics and Protestants coming together in protest. On this issue, they are united."
Right-wing activists were behind the mobilization, led by Tommy Robinson, who shared a list of protest sites across Britain with his followers.
The attack took place late Monday night in north Belfast. Footage circulated on social media showed the attacker leaning over the victim, a local man in his 40s, as he lay on the road, slashing him repeatedly in the head and neck. Passersby who fought the attacker until police arrived, one of them armed with a stick, were praised by senior police officers as having saved the victim's life.
The victim was taken to a hospital with serious injuries to his eyes and deep cuts to his face and back. His condition is described as serious. A kitchen knife was found at the scene.
