List of Belfast addresses said to be immigrant homes circulated online amid riots in wake of stabbing
Key Points:
- During violent anti-immigration protests in Belfast sparked by a brutal knife attack, a list of addresses believed to belong to immigrants and their families was circulated online, leading to intimidation and unrest.
- The protests involved rioters setting fire to homes and buses, throwing rocks at police, and blocking roads, with some international staff in Northern Ireland's health service reporting fear and intimidation.
- The stabbing suspect, a 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker with a five-year UK visa, has been charged with attempted murder; the attack's motive remains unclear and is not considered terrorism.
- Prominent figures shared graphic video footage of the attack online, fueling calls for protests, while local politicians condemned the violence and online fomenting by far-right activists.
- The Belfast unrest followed similar anti-immigration protests in Southampton, England, triggered by the killing of a white student and subsequent false claims of a racist assault, which sparked accusations of biased policing and further violence.