Northern Ireland police arrest Sudanese national over 'barbaric' knife attack

A knife attack in north Belfast on Monday evening has led to the arrest of a 30-year-old Sudanese national, police confirmed Tuesday. The victim, in his 40s, remains in serious condition in hospital. The incident has sparked concern and calls for protests after video footage of the attack circulated widely online.

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This is a deeply concerning assault and I have declared this a critical incident.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident "sickening." In the British Parliament, lawmakers urged greater transparency regarding the suspect's background, expressing fears that a lack of confirmed information could fuel speculation and exacerbate tensions surrounding immigration.

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We have commenced an investigation to establish a motive.

Northern Ireland's political leaders jointly condemned the "horrific" attack, urging calm and supporting the police investigation. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly described the assault as "savage and barbaric."

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We are also aware of footage circulating online and we would strongly urge members of the public not to share or repost these images.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson declared the incident a critical incident, stating, "We have commenced an investigation to establish a motive." He also urged the public not to share or repost the circulating footage, warning it could cause further trauma to the victim's loved ones and potentially impact the investigation.

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Doing so risks causing further trauma to the injured man's loved ones and may impact the ongoing investigation.