A Sudanese man is arrested and later charged after a knife attack in north Belfast leaves a man seriously injured, prompting widespread attention online and anti-immigration unrest across Northern Ireland. Police said the victim, a man in his 40s, was taken to hospital late on Monday with serious injuries to his face, neck and back. Authorities said they arrested a suspect in his 30s and initially held him in custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
On Tuesday, following the circulation of graphic videos of the stabbing on social media, politicians and community figures called for calm. Reporting from several outlets says the incident was declared a “critical incident” and a major police investigation is under way. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office called for calm.
By Wednesday, the suspect appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court and was charged with attempted murder. Multiple outlets report prosecutors allege the victim was blinded in his left eye during the attack, and the suspect also faced additional charges including threatening to kill. In the same timeframe, demonstrators torched buildings and vehicles and blocked roads in Belfast, according to reports.
