Violent protests erupted in multiple locations across the United Kingdom after a Sudanese man was charged with stabbing a man, leaving him seriously injured, reigniting anti-immigrant sentiments.
On Tuesday, 9 Jun 2026 GMT+7, people across the United Kingdom took to the streets to protest after a 30-year-old Sudanese man was charged with attempted murder for stabbing a person in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The incident sparked anger against immigrants amid a tense political climate.
Masked crowds gathered across Belfast on Tuesday evening, setting fire to buses, cars, and road barriers. The unrest also spread to nearby Newtownabbey and Kilkeel, where multiple vehicles were set ablaze.
At the same time, smaller protests occurred in other English cities including Bangor, Glasgow, and London, where far-right protesters confronted police officers while shouting anti-immigrant slogans.
The protests erupted after local police announced on Tuesday that a Sudanese man had been charged with "attempted murder, carrying a bladed or pointed weapon in public, and threats to kill" in connection with the attack. The victim was hospitalized with wounds to his eye, back, and face.
The incident, which took place late Monday night, was captured by witnesses and quickly went viral on social media. The footage shows a man pinning down another man, who is bleeding heavily from the head, and assaulting him before bystanders and police intervened to stop the attack.
Ryan Henderson, Assistant Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said on Tuesday that there is currently no evidence linking the attack to any terrorist group. He emphasized that the police investigation is still in its early stages and added that the suspect has legal residency status in Northern Ireland.
However, police acknowledged that the attack has caused "serious concern within the community" and urged all parties to respond to the incident calmly.
Last year, a series of racially charged violent disturbances occurred over several nights in nearby Ballymena after two Romanian teenage boys were accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Ultimately, all charges against them were dismissed.
This attack also comes amid heightened political tensions in the United Kingdom, following the recent release of police bodycam footage showing officers handcuffing 18-year-old student Henry Novak, who had been stabbed and was lying in a pool of blood before he died. This incident sparked nationwide outrage.
Meanwhile, far-right leaders have been accused of exploiting this murder case to incite racially motivated violence for political gain.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:cnn