Man charged with attempted murder after knife attack in Belfast

A 30-year-old man from Sudan has been charged with attempted murder following a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday night that left one person with serious injuries and sparked calls for anti-immigration protests across Northern Ireland and beyond.

The attack occurred at approximately 22:30 BST on Monday outside a block of flats on Kinnaird Avenue in north Belfast. A man in his 40s was struck multiple times with a knife, sustaining serious injuries to his eyes, neck and back. Video footage of the incident, which showed the attacker straddling the victim and striking at his head and neck, was widely circulated on social media.

The suspect was arrested at the scene. In addition to attempted murder, he has been charged with possession of an article with blade in a public place and threats to kill. He is due to appear in court on Wednesday. Police confirmed a kitchen knife was recovered at the scene.

Members of the public intervened during the attack. Maitiu Mag Tighearnan, from Northern Ireland, was filmed striking the assailant five times on the head with a hurling stick while others kicked and punched the attacker. In a social media post, Tighearnan said he "just landed there by chance" and managed to "protect a young lad."

Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson declared the incident a "critical incident" but said investigators had found no indications of a terrorist motive. Henderson said he shared "the public's revulsion over the brutal nature of this attack."

The graphic video spread rapidly online, with figures including Elon Musk calling for mass anti-immigration protests. By Tuesday evening, crowds including youths wearing masks and hoods gathered at several locations across Belfast. At Whiteabbey in north Belfast, at least 100 masked individuals threw stones at buildings and set a bus on fire. Similar gatherings occurred at Freedom Corner in east Belfast, where hundreds of masked protesters assembled. A bus was set alight on the Newtownards Road.

Police reported "sporadic pockets of disorder" across Northern Ireland in response to the attack. Politicians from across the political spectrum called for calm. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as "sickening" and thanked first responders and members of the public who intervened.

The Sudanese community in Belfast expressed fear following the incident. A Sudanese barber shop owner in the city said the question of safety in Belfast "struck him" as significant after two white men in their 20s paused at his shop doorway and unleashed a sudden shrieking howl before resuming their walk without speaking.

The attack has been compared by observers to previous incidents that sparked disorder in Northern Ireland. A year prior, rioting occurred following the alleged attempted rape of a schoolgirl, resulting in more than 100 police officers injured and dozens of arrests. Politicians and community leaders have accused the far right of seeking to foment unrest in Northern Ireland and across the UK following the circulation of the video.