Northern Ireland descended into a second night of violence on Wednesday as riots erupted across parts of Belfast and County Antrim following the attempted murder charge against a Sudanese asylum seeker accused of a brutal knife attack.
Twelve police officers were injured and 16 people arrested as masked mobs hurled petrol bombs, bricks and masonry at officers amid scenes described by ministers as “racist thuggery”.
The unrest has plunged Stormont and Westminster into a fresh political crisis over immigration, community relations and public order, with pressure mounting on the Government to explain how the suspect was granted asylum before the alleged attack.
Shocking footage from the disturbances showed groups of masked men ripping bricks from walls and smashing paving stones to create makeshift missiles. A government vehicle was set ablaze while police came under sustained attack in Newtonabbey, north of Belfast.
Public transport services were suspended in some areas and schools closed early amid fears that disorder would spread further.
The violence follows the alleged attempted murder of NHS radiographer Stephen Ogilvie on Monday evening. Mr Ogilvie suffered devastating injuries, including the loss of an eye, after being repeatedly stabbed in the face, head, neck and back.
Northern Irish women can be completely proud of their men ❤️
As a 2nd night of anti immigration explodes across Belfast and other areas the patriots fight hand to hand with heavily armed Police who are protecting the criminal illegals. pic.twitter.com/Xb6rGOakn9
— Knights Templar International (@KnightsTempOrg) June 10, 2026
Hadi Alodid, 30, has been charged with attempted murder and is due to appear before the courts.
The case has reignited fierce debate over Britain’s asylum system after it emerged that Alodid had reportedly been granted refugee status after arriving from Dublin under a fast-track asylum process.
Questions are now being asked about the effectiveness of screening procedures and whether potential risks are being adequately identified before refugee status is granted.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn condemned the disorder but also sought to draw a distinction between legitimate public concern and criminal violence.
Speaking on Thursday morning, Mr Benn described the attacks on police and reports of individuals being targeted because of their ethnicity as “racist thuggery”.
“If you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin, how else can you describe it?” he said.
“There have been reports of people being stopped in their cars and asked about their nationality. That is completely unacceptable.”
Police evacuate a Muslim family in Belfast following anti-migrant riots. pic.twitter.com/GX1mC1UECb
— Turning Point UK 🇬🇧 (@TPointUK) June 11, 2026
Police have appealed for calm, warning that further violence risks inflaming already heightened tensions across communities.
The unrest represents one of the most serious outbreaks of disorder seen in Northern Ireland in recent years and comes against a backdrop of growing public concern over migration and asylum policy across the United Kingdom.
For ministers, the challenge is becoming increasingly acute. While the Government has sought to condemn the violence unequivocally, opposition politicians are demanding answers about how an individual now accused of such a serious offence was able to secure refugee status.
The events are likely to intensify calls for tighter border controls and tougher asylum rules, particularly following warnings from security experts that migration is increasingly becoming intertwined with broader concerns about social cohesion and national stability.
With tensions still running high and fears of further unrest growing, Northern Ireland faces an anxious wait to see whether order can be restored before divisions deepen further.
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