"Just one spark is needed here to ignite the rage"

The streets of Belfast bear the scars of recent riots, with burnt-out buildings and charred vehicles standing as stark reminders of the unrest. The atmosphere in the Northern Irish capital is tense, marked by a fragile calm that follows periods of intense conflict.

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I understand their anger.

Aidan MacAllindon, owner of The Crown and Shamrock pub in Glengormley, a suburb bordering an industrial area of Belfast, described the scene. His family has owned the pub since the 1930s, and he lives in an apartment above the establishment. MacAllindon acknowledged the anger fueling the riots, stating, "I understand their anger." He believes many of the young men involved are from disadvantaged areas and are reacting to frustrations about illegal immigration.

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You only care about Northern Ireland when there are riots and chaos. It is not nice.

The immediate trigger for the recent violence was a stabbing incident on the street involving an asylum seeker from Sudan. This event was amplified by far-right voices on social media, igniting anti-immigrant sentiment. Demonstrators, many of them masked young men, targeted a hotel housing asylum seekers. When police intervened, the anger was redirected towards law enforcement, resulting in clashes involving bricks, trash cans, fire extinguishers, and Molotov cocktails. Police responded with water cannons and plastic bullets.

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The riots will start again on Friday.