Key facts
- Online actors incited racism and disorder in Belfast following a stabbing attack.
- Justice Minister Naomi Long stated that the fear generated by the attack was weaponized by "bad faith actors".
- Rioters set fire to a bus and properties in the city.
- The stabbing victim was allegedly attacked by a Sudanese refugee who has been charged with attempted murder.
- Police confirmed the stabbing was not terror-related.
- The suspect entered Northern Ireland in February 2023 and was granted leave to remain until 2028.
Disorder in Belfast was fueled by online actors who exploited a recent stabbing attack to incite racism, according to Naomi Long, the Justice Minister of Northern Ireland.
Long told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that "bad faith actors" were sharing incitement and encouragement online, weaponizing the genuine fear people felt after a "brutal" and "gruesome" attack on Sunday night. Rioters set fire to a bus and properties in the city on Tuesday evening in response to the stabbing, which was allegedly committed by a 30-year-old Sudanese refugee. The suspect has been charged with attempted murder and is due to appear in court.