Key facts
- A water cannon was deployed to disperse a crowd during a second night of disorder in Northern Ireland.
- The unrest followed a knife attack in north Belfast for which a man has been charged with attempted murder.
- Riot police faced attacks with bricks, bottles, and pieces of wood, and petrol bombs were thrown.
- Fires broke out, including a vehicle and bins, and attempts were made to set fire to a derelict property.
- The disorder occurred at the Sandyknowes roundabout in County Antrim, north-west of Belfast.
- The victim of the knife attack, Stephen Ogilvy, sustained serious injuries, including the loss of an eye.
A water cannon was deployed to disperse a large crowd on Wednesday night, marking a second night of disorder in Northern Ireland following a knife attack in Belfast. Riot police faced sustained attacks with bricks, bottles, and pieces of wood at the Sandyknowes roundabout in County Antrim, north-west of Belfast.
The violence was not on the same scale as Tuesday's events, but public transport across Northern Ireland was shut down, and some businesses closed early. Footage showed individuals in black, face coverings, tearing up driveways and fences to use as missiles, setting a large vehicle and bins on fire, and attempting to throw petrol bombs at police lines. There were also attempts to target a hotel housing asylum seekers.
Elsewhere, protests occurred with varying degrees of peacefulness. In east Belfast, where major trouble occurred on Tuesday, a smaller gathering faced a large police presence with few incidents. In Coleraine, a crowd demonstrated about houses of multiple occupation, and in Derry, police advised motorists to avoid a road due to items on fire. About 140 protesters gathered at the Stormont estate.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared in court charged with attempted murder over the Monday knife attack that seriously injured Stephen Ogilvie, who lost an eye and sustained other injuries. Ogilvie's family released a statement appealing for peaceful protest and refuting false information on social media.
Tuesday's violence saw masked men set fire to houses, a bus, and cars, forcing families to flee. Two police officers were injured, and three members of the public were injured in Glasgow, Scotland, where unrest also spread. Two men were charged in connection with the Belfast violence, and three more in Scotland. A UK minister stated that 27 people were made homeless due to targeted attacks on foreign nationals, including a two-month-old baby rescued during the unrest. The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned that social media users highlighting properties were putting lives at risk.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Sinn Féin's Róis-Máire Donnelly, reported receiving death threats. The Stormont Executive held an emergency meeting and issued a statement condemning the disorder, emphasizing the harm caused to communities and the risk to innocent lives. The Royal College of Nursing highlighted that some staff, including nurses from overseas, were stopped by masked men and asked to show credentials when trying to get to work.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the violence and arson unjustified, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch stated that while people have a right to be angry and expect secure borders, they do not have the right to burn families out of homes or attack police. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn urged participants to consider the terror inflicted on children, and PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher advised against being swayed by online narratives.