Belfast, United Kingdom. The family of a man who lost an eye in a knife attack appealed for calm on Wednesday after the incident triggered overnight anti-immigrant violence in Belfast. The appeal came as a Sudanese man appeared in court charged with attempted murder and political leaders condemned the unrest.
Family calls for peaceful response
The family of Stephen Ogilvie said the overnight unrest was not welcome and that peaceful protest was the only way forward.
In a statement, the family said many migrants made a deeply valuable contribution to the country and that they did not want the incident to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.
Violence spreads across Northern Ireland
Hundreds of protesters, many with their faces covered, attacked police and burned vehicles in a number of locations across Northern Ireland late on Tuesday after a video of the knife attack circulated online.
Masked men burned families out of their homes and torched vehicles in Belfast overnight. Police helped one family escape from a burning house.
Several cars and a bus were set on fire and reduced to shells. Local politicians and a pastor said many of those targeted were Black.
Court appearance and political reaction
The suspect in the attack in north Belfast, a 30-year-old Sudanese national named as Hadi Alodid, appeared in court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody.
The court heard that Ogilvie, who is in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his face and back.
Speaking in parliament in London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the attack raised serious questions, but said driving people out of their homes was not the right way to respond. He said all those involved in the violence would face the full force of the law.
Politicians in Northern Ireland also condemned the violence by what they called masked thugs targeting ethnic minorities.
Online video fueled tensions
Videos of the attack circulated online throughout Tuesday, prompting calls on social media for violent protest.