Belfast disorder stoked by online actors, says minister

Online actors exploited a stabbing attack to incite racism and disorder in Belfast, according to Northern Ireland's Justice Minister Naomi Long. She stated that "bad faith actors" shared incitement online, weaponizing the fear following the "brutal" attack. Rioters responded by torching a bus and properties, targeting ethnic minorities. The stabbing victim was allegedly attacked by a Sudanese refugee, who has been charged with attempted murder and has leave to remain in the UK until 2028. Police confirmed the attack was not terror-related. Britain's minister for the province, Hilary Benn, described the subsequent anti-immigration violence as "racist thuggery," noting that rioters targeted a hotel housing asylum seekers. Police deployed water cannon for a second night to control the unrest, which has caused significant fear within the ethnic minority community.