Global D Report: Anti-Immigration Protests Turn Violent in Northern Ireland Following Stabbing by Sudanese National

Streets are burning in various places, and thick black smoke covers the sky.

Buses engulfed in flames and completely incinerated cars are scattered chaotically everywhere.

On June 8 (local time), large-scale, violent anti-immigration protests erupted in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Masked men broke into homes in various locations, smashing doors and shattering windows.

The violent protests were triggered by a stabbing incident involving a Black refugee that occurred the day before.

A Sudanese man in his 30s attacked a white man with a weapon, leaving him seriously injured. The horrific footage of the attack spread through the social media accounts of prominent far-right activists, fueling public anger.

Although police deployed armored vehicles and helicopters to suppress the unrest, the arson continued late into the night, and the protests spread as far as the capital, London.

[Michelle O'Neill / First Minister of Northern Ireland: We must not allow protesters to incite hatred and fear. Do not allow those with their faces covered to take control of our streets.]

According to police investigations, the suspect entered the United Kingdom in February 2023 after passing through France and Ireland.

He was subsequently granted refugee status and held a residency permit valid until 2028.

He was not on any "watch list," as there were no problematic records in the national intelligence network.

[Jon Boutcher / Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland: There is no trace of the suspect anywhere in the national security network, and he was an individual completely unknown to our police.]

Right-wing factions, including the Reform UK party, strongly criticized immigration authorities for granting the suspect a residency permit.

In the UK, a vicious cycle is repeating where crimes committed by immigrants escalate into far-right riots.

Last week in Southampton, a protest against the murder of a white university student by a Sikh youth also escalated into violent clashes.

Reported by Gwak Sang-eun | Video by Park Sun-soo | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.