2026 Northern Ireland riots
Riots in Northern Ireland
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During the evening of 9 June 2026, riots broke out across Belfast following the stabbing and attempted decapitation of a local resident by a Sudanese asylum seeker the previous evening. Further protests were reported across Northern Ireland and in Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland, as well as Southampton in England. Southampton had seen rioting during the previous week, following the murder of Henry Nowak.
(1 day)
Anti-immigration sentiment
| 2026 Northern Ireland riots | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 9 June 2026 – present (1 day) | ||
| Location | Various places around Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast | ||
| Caused by | Beheading attack; Anti-immigration sentiment | ||
| Methods | |||
| Parties | |||
| |||
| Casualties | |||
| Injuries | Two PSNI officers | ||
Riots occurred in Belfast, and homes and vehicles were set ablaze across the province.
Belfast knife attack
| 2026 Belfast knife attack | |
|---|---|
| Location | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Date | June 8, 2026 10:30 p.m. (BST; UTC+01:00) |
Attack type | Stabbing, attempted decapitation |
| Weapon | Kitchen knife |
| Victim | Stephen Ogilvie |
| Accused | Hadi Alodid |
| Charges |
|
An asylum seeker from Sudan attempted to decapitate Stephen Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, with a kitchen knife on 8 June 2026 at 10:30 pm.[1] A number of people confronted the suspect until police arrived; one man fought the suspect with a hurley.[2] Ogilvie survived and was hospitalised in serious condition with major injuries to his eyes, face and back.[3] Police said the attack was not being treated as terrorism, but the investigation was at an early stage.[4]
The suspect was initially incorrectly described as Somali by police reports.[5][6] He was later identified as a Sudanese national in his 30s. He had leave to remain in the UK until 2028. He entered the UK in 2023 via the Common Travel Area and was granted refugee status the same year.[4] He was charged with attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place, and making threats to kill an NHS worker.[3][7]
On 10 June, the suspect, Hadi Alodid, appeared in court in Belfast via video link from Musgrave Serious Crime Suite. The court was told that the victim had lost his left eye as a result of the attack. Alodid was remanded in custody.[7]
Responses
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack "abhorrent" and praised the first responders and the intervening members of the public. The Stormont leaders of Sinn Fein, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Alliance Party and the Social Democratic and Labour Party issued a joint statement condemning the attack.[8]
Elon Musk, the owner of X, and other right-wing figures called for protests against migration.[9] Jon Boutcher, the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), said: "The challenge we face with today's online toxic nature is that people are incited by people who are faceless and know nothing about this brilliant, vibrant place".[9] First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill said that for all " ... of those people out there who are stoking up tensions in that social media space who are happy to raise tensions, they do not represent us".[9]
Riots
On 9 June, masked men claiming to be "getting the foreigners out" were seen kicking in doors and windows on the Lower Newtownards Road. At least three houses, a Middle Eastern supermarket, a bus and numerous vehicles were set ablaze across Belfast.[10] Disorder was primarily reported on the Crumlin and the Lower Newtownards Roads.[11] A police car was set on fire in Portadown.[11] Traffic was disrupted by rioters in Derry.[11] In Newtownabbey, multiple cars were set ablaze. A Turkish barber shop was attacked in Ballyclare.[11] Many local businesses in Belfast closed early due to the protests. A Glider bus was hijacked and burned.[12]
Hilary Benn, Northern Ireland Secretary of State, reported two police officers were injured during the riots.[7]