Violence erupts in Belfast after Sudanese man charged with knife attack on 40-year-old

Belfast descended into chaos Tuesday night as masked gangs set fire to homes, cars and public transport across the city, triggering mass evacuations and a citywide bus shutdown. The unrest followed the arrest of a 30-year-old Sudanese man charged with attempted murder, possession of a blade and threats to kill after a knife attack in Kinnaird Avenue, north Belfast, at 10:30 p.m. Monday.

A 40-year-old man remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries to his eyes, neck and spine after being stabbed in the chest and head. Video footage shows a group cornering the suspect with a hurling stick until officers arrived. The suspect, who entered the UK via Dublin in February 2023 and was granted refugee status the same year, is due in court Wednesday.

Residents described masked men smashing doors with sledgehammers, hurling petrol bombs and torching vehicles in Lendrick Street, east Belfast. One woman recounted watching flames engulf her neighbor’s home after a car was set alight outside. “They’re trying to burn us out because we’re black,” said Pastor Jack McKee, whose congregants—longtime church members—were forced to flee their homes.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned “outright thuggery” as masked gangs burned families out of their homes. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly called for peaceful protest, warning violence “damages every cause it claims to advance.” Justice Minister Naomi Long vowed “no place for masked thugs” and pleaded for calm.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson confirmed “sporadic pockets of disorder” across Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, Antrim and Bangor. He urged community leaders to discourage violence and called for an increased police presence on the streets. Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows described many of the rioters as teenagers, adding that the unrest reflected “a dangerous spiral of retaliation.”

1. Initial response — PSNI arrived within minutes of the 10:30 p.m. attack Monday
2. Evacuations — Residents in Lendrick Street were told to leave as fires spread
3. Arson surge — At least six additional fires were reported after midnight

A Translink spokesperson confirmed all bus services were suspended Tuesday due to attacks on vehicles and depots. In Ballyclare, a Turkish barber shop was vandalized, while in Antrim, a community center was set ablaze. Independent MLA Doug Beattie called the unrest “counterproductive” and condemned attacks on police and civilians alike.

The PSNI confirmed the suspect traveled from Sudan to Paris, then to Dublin by bus on February 10, 2023, before claiming asylum in the UK. Home Office records show he was granted leave to remain until 2028. Authorities are reviewing CCTV and social media to identify additional suspects in the coordinated attacks.

As rain fell Wednesday morning, the streets were left smoldering, with fire crews still damping down embers. The city’s political leaders issued a joint statement calling the violence “an attack on the very fabric of our community.” For now, Belfast waits—tense, fractured, and on edge.