On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, clashes erupted in Newtownabbey, Belfast, as police deployed water cannons to disperse rioters. Protesters set fire to wheelie bins and dismantled garden fences to use as shields against the police response.
The unrest followed the court appearance of Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, charged with attempted murder after a violent stabbing incident left Stephen Ogilvie seriously injured. Alodid allegedly blinded Ogilvie in the left eye and threatened a radiographer while receiving medical treatment. During his court appearance via video, Alodid declined legal representation, and his case ignited anti-immigrant sentiment among locals.
On Tuesday, masked individuals set fire to homes, torched a Belfast bus, and engaged in violent confrontations with police. Firefighters rescued residents from burning homes, leaving dozens homeless, including Anselme Shima, originally from Congo, who expressed fear for his safety and uncertainty about the future.
Families from diverse backgrounds were affected, prompting the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to increase law enforcement presence in anticipation of further violence.
Authorities are calling for calm, emphasizing the significant contributions of migrants, while condemning the use of the stabbing incident to incite hostility. First Minister Michelle O’Neill termed the violence as cowardice, and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly labeled it as wrong.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced both the stabbing and the violence that followed, stressing that aggression based on background would not be tolerated. Justice Minister Naomi Long criticized the role of social media in escalating tensions and called out racial motivations.
Some politicians have suggested reviewing the open border policy between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, a sensitive issue tied to the peace process that ended the Troubles.
Tensions in Belfast reflect broader concerns about immigration, with references to a similar incident in Southampton, England, where violence followed the murder conviction of Sikh Vickrum Digwa.
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