Revealed: Sudanese suspect in Belfast knife attack was an asylum seeker when he arrived in UK on bus from Dublin – as he is charged with attempted murder
A Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder after a ‘knife attack’ in Belfast.
The 30-year-old, who has not yet been named by police, will appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
He has also been charged with possession of an article with blade or point in a public place and making threats to kill.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the suspect is believed to have travelled from Sudan to Paris, and then from Paris to Dublin before taking a bus to Belfast in February 2023 – taking advantage of the Common Travel Area.
There, he immediately claimed asylum, before he was given leave to remain in the UK in September 2023, lasting for five years.
The victim of the attack, a man aged in his 40s, remains in a serious condition in hospital receiving treatment for serious eye, face and back wounds.
Social media footage shows a man standing astride a bloodied victim holding a knife to his throat and his fist in the air.
Heroic bystanders then intervene, with one man hitting the suspect with a hurling stick. Police said a kitchen knife was recovered from the scene on Kinnaird Avenue, in the north of Belfast. They do not believe the attack was terror related.
Protestors are now beginning to gather at sites in Belfast following the knife attack, as well as outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Southampton and in Parliament Square in London.
Banners were spotted which read ‘no racism, just patriotism’ and ‘end two-tier policing, end two-tier justice’.
Meanwhile, chants of ‘secure our borders, mass deportation’ and ‘stop the boats, send them home’ rang out.
As tension escalated in Belfast, one bus was set on fire and completely destroyed.
Social media footage shows a man standing astride a bloodied victim holding a knife to his throat and his fist in the air
A Glider bus, set fire to by protesters, on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast, as disorder flared during an anti-immigration demonstration
A bus on fire on Tuesday night as tensions grow in Belfast
A Glider bus, set on fire by protesters, on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast, as disorder flared during an anti-immigration demonstration
Protesters during an Enough is Enough protest outside the Highfield Hotel in Southampton, after a man from Sudan was arrested over a knife attack
Demonstrators march along Portswood Road in Southampton during an Enough is Enough protest
Protesters gather in Parliament Square following a knife attack in Belfast
In Southampton dozens of demonstrators held Union and St George flags as they gathered outside Highfield House Hotel.
Protesters outside the hotel in the city’s Portswood suburb unveiled signs reading ‘Belfast-Southampton Stands With You’, ‘Enough Is Enough’ and ‘Illegal Migration Is Destroying Our Civilisation’.
Police officers lined the pavement and were seen keeping demonstrators from crossing the road.
In a social media post shared by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, organisers of the ‘flash protest’ said it was in response to the ‘disgusting video we are witnessing’, in what is understood to be a reference to the stabbing in Belfast on Monday.
A smaller group of counter-demonstrators holding Stand Up To Racism placards stood along the pavement across the road.
Earlier today Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch called for the Government to release more information about the attacker’s identity and immigration status, with the Reform UK leader saying leave-to-remain status was being handed out ‘like Smarties’.
Anti-immigration activists have called for mass protests in Belfast this evening, prompting fears of widespread disorder. Some posts online called for men over 18 to attend, wear dark clothing and ‘be prepared to fight or be arrested’.
Chief Constable Boutcher urged people to let ‘the police do their job unfettered and undistracted’.
Police have declared the attack a ‘critical incident’ and businesses are increasing security due to fear of unrest tonight.
Officers originally said the suspect was believed to be Somali, but later confirmed he is actually from Sudan.
Organisers of the ‘flash protest’ said it was in response to the ‘disgusting video we are witnessing’, in what is understood to be a reference to the stabbing in Belfast on Monday
A crowd of protesters gathers in the road following a stabbing incident in North Belfast
Protesters gather in Parliament Square following a knife attack in Belfast
At the protest, banners read ‘no racism, just patriotism’ and ‘end two-tier policing, end two-tier justice’
Police officers inspect the area near the scene of a stabbing outside apartments in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast
Heroic members of the public rushed forward to intervene, with one hitting the attacker with a hurling stick
Officers arrived at the scene a few seconds after witnesses stepped in to try and halt the attack
Witnesses described seeing the victim ‘screaming’ before he was taken away in an ambulance with his head covered in bandages.
As No10 called for calm, Sir Keir Starmer described the incident as ‘sickening’ and said there would be ‘absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets’.
He added: ‘My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who intervened.’
Mr Farage has said leave to remain status is handed out ‘like Smarties’.
The Reform UK leader told reporters on a visit to Grangemouth in Scotland: ‘I mean, it’s absolutely shocking, barbaric, ghastly.
‘We know that he’s Sudanese. No 10 are refusing to say whether he came here illegally, which I think tells us probably all we need to know.
‘He was given leave to remain, as almost all these people are. We dish out leave to remain like Smarties to people about whom we know nothing, and some of whom cause great harm in our country. Frankly, these people shouldn’t be here. It’s as simple as that.’
Ms Badenoch, asked about the incident at an event this morning, said: ‘I’m absolutely horrified.
‘I haven’t heard anything about who the attacker might have been, but I think a lot of people will start wondering yet again, is this someone who should not have been in our country? Have there been failings around our borders?
‘I would urge the police to bring the facts out as quickly as possible so that we can get some clarity.’
Elon Musk issued his first comment about the attack early this morning, writing ‘enough’ in response to a tweet from Restore Britain’s Rupert Lowe.
In his second intervention, he replied to an X post calling for ‘consequences’ for politicians responsible for immigration policy by saying: ‘That day cannot come soon enough.’
Officers from the PSNI remained at the scene of the stabbing today, with a cordon in place
Police officers inspect the area near the scene of a stabbing outside apartments in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast
A cordon remains in place today and images show a piece of fabric, which appears to have blood on it, on the road
Assembly member for the DUP Brian Kingston said police had told him that both the victim and suspect live locally.
‘I’ve spoken to the police, the North Belfast area commander,’ he said. ‘They’ve arrested one man, he tells me they are not seeking to arrest anyone else in connection with this at this stage.
‘He tells me that both the perpetrator and the victim live locally and I do want to to commend other local residents who intervened and did what they could at risk to themselves to bring this attack to an end – people need to know and they have a right to know what occurred and how could such a barbaric attack have occurred.’
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said it received a 999 call at 10.39pm and dispatched an ambulance and an advance paramedic.
Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, the victim was taken to Royal Victoria Hospital.
A cordon remains in place today and images show a piece of fabric, which appears to have blood on it, on the road.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told a press conference this afternoon that officers have been liaising with counter terror specialists but do not currently believe the incident is terror related.
He said officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Speaking in the Commons, DUP leader Gavin Robinson called on ministers to ‘recognise that uncontrolled immigration needs to end’ and said people ‘have had their concerns ignored’ for ‘far too long’.
In his own address, the Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn praised onlookers who intervened to stop the attacker.
He said: ‘Amidst the horror of what happened we also saw something extraordinary.
‘When confronted with scenes of terrible violence, members of the public did not walk on by. Instead a number of them stepped forward and at immense risk to their own safety they intervened to pull the assailant away and protect the victim until police arrived.
‘You showed the very best of humanity and you have the profound gratitude of the entire house.’
First Minister Michelle O’Neill hit out against claims Northern Ireland is operating an ‘open borders’ immigration system.
‘I don’t know any country that has open borders,’ she said.
‘I believe in an immigration system that is fair and managed and enforceable and compassionate and human rights compliant, but that is not the debate for today.
‘The debate today is about our society, about our inclusive society, our welcoming society.
‘Our conversation today is about our thoughts are very much with that gentleman who finds himself as a victim of that violent and horrific attack last night.
‘Our thoughts today are about creating calm in our society.’
Police officers are expected to remain at the scene throughout the day as investigations continue
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister said there are ‘bad faith actors who want to stir trouble’ following the Belfast knife attack.
Speaking at a press conference at Stormont, Naomi Long said: ‘The only people who will be harmed if there is unrest on our streets are innocent people.
‘The only thing that will be achieved is further victims.
‘And so I’m asking for people to be calm, to be rational at a time when it is easy to be irrational, because you’re hurt, you’re upset, and you’re angry and because there are bad faith actors who want to stir trouble.
‘It is not in the interests of anyone in Northern Ireland for us to see our community torn apart in these instances.
‘And I understand that many people from our ethnic minority and foreign national community will be fearful today.’
The leader of the Alliance Party added: ‘One individual doing one awful act is not representative of everyone who lives in Northern Ireland, nor should we allow it to become so.’
