Protests break out in Belfast after Sudanese suspect arrested in knife attack
Elected officials and police have called for calm amid the investigation.
Police in Northern Ireland and elected officials called for calm following protests in Belfast on Tuesday that stemmed from the arrest of a Sudanese asylum seeker who allegedly attacked another person with a knife the night before.
Protesters, some of whom were wearing masks, set many fires throughout the city including a bus during the demonstrations. It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt or if there were any arrests as of Tuesday evening, U.S. time.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it was monitoring the protest activity following Monday night's incident where an unidentified man in his 40s was stabbed by another man around 10:30 p.m. local time.
The suspect, who was quickly subdued by nearby civilians and arrested by the police, was identified as a 30-year-old Sudanese man. The victim was in stable condition and suffered "serious injuries to his eyes and slash-wound injuries to his back and face," PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told reporters Tuesday.
"I share the public’s revulsion over the brutal nature of this attack which has created concern across Northern Ireland and further afield. I also understand that there are questions regarding the nature of the attack," he told reporters.
Henderson said that there was no suspicion the attack was terrorist-related but investigators are working with counter-terrorism officials in their probe.
The suspect was slated to be in court Wednesday.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher told reporters that the suspect was an asylum seeker who was granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom in 2023.
"Again, this is to be confirmed, but I'm informed that he made his way from Sudan to Paris on dates unknown, and from Paris he flew to Dublin at a date yet to be determined. From my current understanding, he then travelled from Dublin to Belfast by bus on the 10th of February of 2023 and claimed asylum on that date," he said.
"There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was not known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland," Boutcher added.
Boutcher urged the public not to promote violence.
"I understand that last night's attempted murder will leave people feeling enraged, with emotions from fear to anger. But please, please let the PSNI, let the police do their job, unfettered and undistracted by wider concerns there may be about disorder," he said.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill echoed the message and made an "appeal for calm."
"My message today is one of calm, and don't allow those people that don't care about people here to incite hatred, to incite fear; don't allow those people who are faceless to orchestrate campaigns on the streets," she said.
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