LONDON β UK leaders called for calm on Tuesday after the arrest of a Sudanese man accused of attempting to kill a man in a stabbing on a Belfast street sparked anti-immigration protests, as the suspect is an asylum seeker.
The victim, a man in his 30s, was seriously injured in the attack on Monday evening. Police arrested a 27-year-old Sudanese man on suspicion of attempted murder. The incident occurred in the Sandy Row area of south Belfast, a predominantly Protestant and unionist neighborhood.
Following the arrest, a group of around 100 people gathered near the scene, some shouting anti-immigration slogans. Police said the protest was largely peaceful but warned against any escalation. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly issued a joint statement urging calm and condemning any form of violence or intimidation.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also commented, saying that the government is monitoring the situation closely and that there is no place for vigilantism or racism in British society. The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.
