Bus set ablaze during Belfast protest after violent stabbing incident involving refugee

Hundreds of protesters, many masked, gathered in Belfast for anti-immigration demonstrations following a violent stabbing incident. The protests saw a bus set ablaze, prompting police to deploy helicopters and increase security presence across the city.

The stabbing victim, a man in his 40s, was hospitalized with severe injuries. The suspect, identified as a Sudanese refugee with a valid residence permit until 2028, was arrested and charged with attempted murder. Police stated that the man arrived in the UK in 2023 via Paris and Dublin, and the motive for the attack, which occurred Monday evening, remains unclear. Authorities have indicated there is no information suggesting a terrorist act.

Calls for protests were amplified on social media by far-right figures, including activist Tommy Robinson. Similar demonstrations occurred in Southampton, where an 18-year-old was killed in a stabbing incident in early December. Shops in Belfast closed early amid fears of escalating unrest, with police urging calm.

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The motive for the attack that took place on Monday evening around 10:30 p.m. remains unclear, but the police had previously stated that there is no information to suggest a terrorist act.