Belfast and Glasgow see racist riots after stabbing, then thousands join anti-racism rallies

The spark: a brutal knife attack

On Monday night, Stephen Ogilvie was attacked in north Belfast. A Sudanese man, Hadi Alodid, was charged with attempted murder after Ogilvie lost his left eye, suffered damage to his right eye, and sustained neck and back injuries. The assault was horrific, but what followed turned a single crime into a wave of racially motivated disorder.

Violence erupts

On Tuesday, far‑right protests descended into rioting in Belfast. Hundreds of people, many masked, attacked homes, businesses and vehicles, and assaulted police officers. More than 20 arrests were made. In Glasgow, a similar pattern unfolded: demonstrators marched through the city centre, worshippers inside Glasgow Central Mosque were locked in as the crowd approached, and five people were injured, including two police officers. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said people had been “attacked because of the colour of their skin”.

For people to be locked into a place of worship is a total and utter mark against the reputation of the city. It should never recur.

Social media choreography

The violence did not erupt spontaneously. As early as Tuesday morning, far‑right accounts on Facebook and X were circulating claims about an “attempted beheading” and lists of “reported road closures”, willing the disorder into being. Police and politicians had appealed for calm hours before the first crowds gathered.

A shifting demographic landscape

Northern Ireland’s population has changed sharply since Brexit. EU migration has collapsed, while arrivals from South Asia and Africa have grown. GP registration data shows the shift: in 2018, Poland accounted for just over 1,000 registrations and India about 650; by 2024, registrations from Poland had fallen to 100 while those from India exceeded 3,000.

Official and community responses

Stormont health minister Mike Nesbitt called the disorder a “stain on Northern Ireland’s reputation” and said international healthcare workers, who make up 85% of the workforce in some care homes, were now “wondering whether it’s worth their while staying”. DUP leader Gavin Robinson’s initial call to close the border was criticised as a knee‑jerk reaction. A Protestant pastor, Jack McKee, rescued two Ugandan care workers cowering in their home as nearby houses burned.

If they were not with us our health service would collapse and people would die unnecessarily.

Thousands rally against racism

On Saturday, around 5,000 people gathered outside Belfast City Hall for an anti‑racism rally organised by United Against Racism and backed by trade unions. In Glasgow, thousands attended a Stand Up To Racism demonstration, briefly interrupted by a small group of far‑right counter‑protesters. Speakers at both events insisted that the riots did not represent their cities.

This is not a representation of Belfast that I know. Look around you again. This is the Belfast that I know, a welcoming place that I have called home.

The only practical thing that Westminster can do is provide money to tackle the poverty that fuels racism.

The week left a trail of fear among minority communities and a public debate about how immigration, policing and social media intersect to produce sudden street violence.