Belfast stabbing latest: Homes and cars set ablaze as protesters accused of ‘thuggery’ after knife attack

Jim Allister leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party told people involved in the violence to “desist”

Speaking on Radio 4 Today he said: “They are providing a total change of narrative which takes the focus from where it should be and gives government and others an excuse for not addressing the over burdening of these areas with migrants and not addressing the open boarder, which is the problem.”

The Independent’s Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

The chair of the Labour Party has condemned planning on social media for violent protests in response to the Belfast knife attack, saying it is “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.

One message said to have circulated overnight urged men of the age of 18 and over to “wear dark clothing and be prepared to fight or be arrested”.

Anna Turley told Times Radio: “I would absolutely condemn that kind of message. That solves nothing… That kind of message is more than irresponsible, it is dangerous, and it should not be happening. And I’d urge everyone to stay calm.”

Tech billionaire Elon Musk continued overnight to amplify calls for people to take to the streets in response to the incident.

Ms Turley said: “We have to acknowledge and see that social media is playing a role in driving this. And I think there are bad faith actors who are sitting often many, many miles away. It is easy for them to stoke these things up.”

On Mr Musk’s intervention specifically, she said: “He has a responsibility, everyone in public and civil life has a responsibility to call for calm and not to stoke grievance or hatred or division or tension that puts vulnerable people and our communities at risk.”

Ms Turley also said the government was “aware that immigration is a big issue of concern for people” as she pointed to a drop in net migration.

The Independent’s Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Labour Party chair Anna Turley has appealed for calm on the streets of Belfast, saying it was “horrendous” to see violent protests in response to a knife attack.

She told Sky News: “It was horrendous to see that. It must be really horrifying and really frightening for all those families living in that community. Nobody wants to see that.

“I would appeal, like many others have, for calm on the streets of Belfast, and around the country as well. Those people are innocent. They shouldn’t be getting caught up. We’ve seen children and families having to leave their homes, and no one wants to see that.

“We know the situation that happened the night before last was absolutely horrific, absolutely horrendous, and there’s no place for that on the streets of the United Kingdom. But we have to let the police and the justice system take its course now, and nobody should be should be stoking this up or bringing violence to the streets anywhere in the United Kingdom.”

Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long has said far-right online agitators are to blame for stoking racial tension following the stabbing.

“We saw the rush to social media yesterday from commentators on the far-right who were clearly trying to stoke racial tension, building on a narrative that they have around immigration,” she told BBC Breakfast.

She added that comments made by pastor Jack McKee that people were being targeted just because they were black, were accurate.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Belfast on Tuesday, with some setting vehicles alight, after police charged a Sudanese man over a knife attack that left one person with serious neck and head wounds.

Masked youths gathered at points across the city, with police responding by deploying armoured vehicles. Homes on several streets caught fire, while protesters set fire to a number of vehicles, including a bus in east Belfast.

Separately, protests were reported in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Southampton. A few dozen protesters blocked Parliament Square in London.

A man is set to appear in court charged with attempted murder over a stabbing attack following a night of violence in Belfast.

Some people were forced to flee their homes and multiple cars and homes were set alight in the disorder on Tuesday which followed Monday’s knife attack in the north of the city.

The 30-year-old accused, who is Sudanese, is also charged with possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and making threats to kill.

He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court later on Wednesday.