Homes and cars were set alight across Belfast on Tuesday evening after hundreds of protesters took to the streets in response to Monday night’s stabbing attack in the city.
Residents had to be removed from burning houses in east Belfast as a crowd kicked in doors and broke windows of homes nearby, according to the BBC.
Prior to the protests, police said a man, 30, who is Sudanese, had been charged with attempted murder over the stabbing attack. He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court later on Wednesday.
Despite calls for calm from police and political leaders, anti-immigration demonstrations in Belfast turned violent on Tuesday night.
A Glider bus was set alight in east Belfast, prompting all bus and train services to be suspended. In Lendrick Street in Belfast, several cars were set alight and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service officers had to remove some residents from houses after they caught fire.
A number of houses and vehicles were set on fire near the Ligoniel Road area of Belfast and a police car was set alight in Portadown.
Northern Ireland secretary Hillary Benn said people were “rightly shocked” by the attacked, but condemned “thuggery” that he said was “putting innocent lives at risk”.
Key points
- Northern Ireland secretary denounces 'thuggery' putting 'lives at risk'
- In pictures: Demonstrations turn violent
- Where were the protests taking place across the UK
- Man charged with attempted murder over knife attack
- Prime minister condemns 'sickening' and 'abhorrent' attack
In pictures: Police respond to disorder sweeping Belfast
04:00 , James Reynolds
First minister condemns protests as 'disgusting cowardice'
03:30 , James Reynolds
First minister Michelle O’Neill took to social media late on Tuesday to condemn the violent protests sweeping Northern Ireland as nothing but “disgusting cowardice”.
“This has nothing to do with community. This is outright thuggery,” she said, appealing for calm.
“The attack in North Belfast was heinous and wrong. But there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target and attack innocent people who are simply trying to live, work and raise their families here.”
Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.
— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) June 9, 2026
This has nothing to do with community.
This is outright thuggery.
The attack in North Belfast was heinous and wrong.
But there are dangerous attempts to exploit that to target…
Full report: Calls for calm after ‘sickening’ Belfast knife attack leaves man with significant injuries
03:00 , James Reynolds
Sir Keir Starmer and police have called for calm after a stabbing attack condemned as “sickening” by the prime minister sent shockwaves through Belfast.
Officers have declared a critical incident in response to the attack, which took place on Monday night on Kinnaird Avenue, a residential part of the city.
Horrifying video circulating online, which is too graphic to publish in full, appears to show a man with a knife pinning another man down on the ground and repeatedly stabbing him.
Calls for calm after ‘sickening’ Belfast knife attack
Violent protests diverting police resources away from where they are most needed, says justice minister
02:30 , James Reynolds
Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long denounced those causing “wanton damage” on the streets as hundreds came out in protest on Tuesday.
She said: “There is no place for masked thugs to take to the streets and threaten, intimidate, disrupt and cause wanton damage – it is simply disingenuous to claim this is being carried out for the good of Northern Ireland.”
She added: “Disorder on the streets, such as we are seeing tonight, is diverting valuable police resources away from those who genuinely need them.
“These are not the actions of people who genuinely care about their communities.”
In pictures: Firefighters bring blaze under control on Ligoniel Road
01:30 , James Reynolds
Hero bystanders who intervened in Belfast knife attack praised as ‘best of humanity’
01:00 , James Reynolds
Members of the public who intervened in a stabbing attack in Belfast have been praised as “the very best of humanity”.
Footage on social media shows people, including one with a hurling stick, attempting to stop a man while he was attacking his victim in the residential area close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast on Monday night.
A man has since been charged with attempted murder by Northern Ireland Police, and will appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Hero bystanders who intervened in Belfast knife attack praised as ‘best of humanity’
Politicians must address the immigration 'debate', says former first minister
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:45 , James Reynolds
Also speaking to BBC Newsnight, Baroness Foster, former DUP first minister of Northern Ireland, said politicians must address the “debate” around immigration.
“The Chief Constable is absolutely right when he says it's not for him to answer questions about immigration,” she said. “It's for the politicians to answer questions about immigration. And that's where the debate has to take place.”
“The debate has take place by politicians and not through police officers who are trying to deal with what happened yesterday and what is happening today on our streets,” she argued.
In pictures: Lendrick Street at the height of Tuesday's protests in Belfast
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:30 , James Reynolds
Violence across Belfast is a 'race-based pogrom', says Labour MP
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:15 , James Reynolds
Claire Hanna, SDLP leader and Belfast MP, told BBC Newsnight that the violence seen across the city on Tuesday amounted to a “race-based pogrom”.
“We are seeing men going door to door asking to get the foreigners out based exclusively on the colour of their skin,” she said.
“It's not based on what they're contributing to society, what their status here is and it's terrifying for people in Belfast who want this sort of politics to be far beyond them.”
Pressed on whether she ‘knows’ whether migrant families were being targeted, she says: “Well I don't know what else you can call it because they have been going, I've seen videos of going door to door in areas yes that are likely to be people from minority ethnic backgrounds ...”
“What you’re seeing is a race based pogrom, we are seeing men going door to door asking to 'get the foreigners out' based exclusively on the colour of their skin.”
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) June 9, 2026
SDLP leader Claire Hannah criticises the unrest taking place in Belfast.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/jBNM7tWg7U
Also speaking to BBC Newsnight, Baroness Foster, former DUP first minister of Northern Ireland, adds: “Those who are engaged in this violence must understand that not only is it wrong but if they are genuinely concerned ... about untrammeled immigration, then this is entirely counterproductive.
She went on to say that politicians must address the “debate” around immigration.
“The Chief Constable is absolutely right when he says it's not for him to answer questions about immigration,” she said. “It's for the politicians to answer questions about immigration. And that's where the debate has to take place.”
Northern Ireland Secretary denounces 'thuggery' putting 'lives at risk'
Wednesday 10 June 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
Northern Ireland Secretary Hillary Benn says he understands people are “shocked” by Monday’s attack - but condemns “thuggery” on the streets that, he says, is “putting innocent lives at risk”.
Writing on social media in post shared by the prime minister, he says: “People have been rightly shocked by the brutal attack in north Belfast, but the police must be allowed to do their job so the law can take its course.
“The scenes of disorder we have witnessed in some parts of Northern Ireland this evening are only damaging communities and putting innocent lives at risk. There is no justification at all for this type of thuggery. I echo the call from the PSNI for this violence to end now.”
The scenes of disorder we have witnessed in some parts of Northern Ireland this evening are only damaging communities and putting innocent lives at risk. There is no justification at all for this type of thuggery. I echo the call from the PSNI for this violence to end now. /2
— Hilary Benn (@hilarybennmp) June 9, 2026
Violence sweeping Northern Ireland is "wrong" and "counter-productive", says former first minister
Tuesday 9 June 2026 23:30 , James Reynolds
Arlene Foster, the former first minister of Northern Ireland, told Sky News the violence sweeping Belfast was “not only wrong” but “counter-productive”.
“The people that are causing this violence have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders,” she said.
Turkish barber shop attacked in Ballyclare
Tuesday 9 June 2026 23:18 , James Reynolds
A Turkish barber shop in Ballyclare, north of Belfast, has also been attacked, according to the BBC.
Images carried by the broadcaster show the front door and a window smashed.
Mapped: Protests reported across the UK
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:59 , James Reynolds
Protests break out across the UK
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:54 , James Reynolds
Earlier, The Independent reported on a wave of protests in the Belfast area, affecting Newtownards Rd, Whiteabbey, Freedom Corner, and traffic on the M2 near Yorkgate.
Police and ambulances are also responding on Crumlin Road, and homes have caught fire on Lendrick Street.
A police car was also reported to have been set on fire in Portadown, southwest of Belfast.
Now, protests are reported to have broken out in other parts of the UK.
Police were deployed in Southampton after demonstrators gathered outside the Highfield House Hotel.
And in Scotland, protesters gathered in Glasgow city centre and St Andrew’s Square in Edinburgh.
In pictures: Cars ablaze amid wave of disorder sweeping Belfast
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:49 , James Reynolds
Watch: Cars set on fire in streets of Belfast following protests
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:30 , James Reynolds
Disorder 'serves absolutely nobody', says Belfast MP
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:28 , James Reynolds
John Finucane, the Sinn Féin MP for north Belfast, urges people to “back away from civil disorder”, saying it “serves absolutely nobody”.
“Anybody who truly cares about the victim of this attack, about his friends and his family, about the residents who had to witness this, those who intervened – if those people are truly your focus then we must respect the rule of law,” he says.
Locals removed from homes ablaze in east Belfast
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:18 , James Reynolds
Residents are being removed from houses which have caught fire in Lendrick Street in east Belfast.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service officers attended the scene on Tuesday night.
Middle Eastern supermarket 'on fire' - report
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:16 , James Reynolds
Images from the streets of Belfast show large groups congregating in the road and smoke billowing out of a small business.
Locals tells Sky News the affected building is a Middle Eastern supermarket.
Northern Ireland's justice minister Naomi Long says protesters are 'weaponising the genuine hurt'
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:04 , James Reynolds
Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long has said “hate cannot be allowed” to win, as disorder broke out in a number of areas following a knife attack in Belfast on Monday.
Ms Long said: “Earlier today, I stood beside the First Minister, deputy First Minister and the PSNI Chief Constable and we appealed for calm.
“Sadly, there are those who have chosen to ignore those pleas; they are intent on wreaking destruction on the very communities they claim they are trying to protect.
“They are weaponising the genuine hurt, concern and anger that people are feeling for their own misguided purposes.
“There is no place for masked thugs to take to the streets and threaten, intimidate, disrupt and cause wanton damage – it is simply disingenuous to claim this is being carried out for the good of Northern Ireland.
“I would appeal once again to communities not to allow themselves to be used and abused in this manner. Disorder on the streets, such as we are seeing tonight, is diverting valuable police resources away from those who genuinely need them. These are not the actions of people who genuinely care about their communities.
“While I recognise and understand the concerns following on from the attack in north Belfast, hate cannot be allowed to win.”
Firefighters tackle fire in row of homes
Tuesday 9 June 2026 22:02 , James Reynolds
Footage shared on Sky News shows the moment flames engulfed at least one home in a row of terraced houses in Belfast tonight.
Before firefighters arrived, members of the public could be seen shouting through letter boxes to warn residents over the blaze.
Firefighters then arrived and began tackling the fire with with water hoses. A group of people can be seen standing a safe distance away.
A senior officer has said police are dealing with “sporadic pockets of disorder” following a knife attack in Belfast on Monday night.
