2 arrested as violent unrest breaks out in Belfast after Sudanese suspect arrested in knife attack
Bus and rail services were suspended Wednesday as protests continued.
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.
More demonstrations are expected Wednesday evening, prompting major disruptions for city services.
Protesters, some of whom were wearing masks, set many fires throughout the city including a bus during Tuesday night's demonstrations.
"We witnessed businesses and homes being attacked and damaged, along with cars, a police car and a Glider set on fire. As a result, many people are waking up today feeling genuine fear for their lives and their livelihoods," Chief Constable Jon Boutcher of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) told reporters Wednesday.
Boutcher added that officers "got in harm's way" to stop people from getting intimidated or assaulted during Tuesday's demonstrations and two officers were injured.
Two people, an unidentified 39-year-old man and an unidentified 42-year-old man, were charged in connection with the protests and appeared in court on Wednesday.
The 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.
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 appeared in court on Wednesday, and the investigation is ongoing.
Boutcher told reporters Tuesday 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 traveled 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 repeated calls to the public on Wednesday not to promote violence in response to the attack.
"If you have a niece, nephew, brother, sister or a member of your local sports club, if you've seen them at the disorder, stop them from coming out today. This has got to stop. We cannot have a society that allows this to happen," he said.
City agencies were taking precautions Wednesday evening in preparation for more potential protests.
Northern Ireland's public transport operator, Translink, suspended bus and rail services for Wednesday evening.
"Suspending services is always a last resort, but the safety of our customers and staff remains our top priority," Translink said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the situation in Parliament Wednesday and said he was in discussions with Northern Ireland ministers and police.
He echoed the calls for calm as the investigation into the knife attack continues.
"People have a right to be angry. I am angry, and people have the right to expect their politicians to secure our borders. But no one has a right to burn families out of their homes or to burn public property and attack the police," the prime minister said.
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