CHURCH leaders have condemned as “unacceptable” the mass violence in Belfast on Tuesday night after an attack on a man in his forties in the north of the city on Monday.
The suspect, Hadi Alodid, 30, of Duncairn Avenue, Belfast, appeared by videolink in Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder, threatening to kill an NHS radiographer on the same day, and with the possession of a knife. Bail was refused, and he was remanded in custody.
The Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, confirmed on Wednesday that Mr Alodid was a Sudanese asylum-seeker. In 2023, he was granted leave to remain for five years.
Houses, cars, and a bus were set on fire as hundreds of masked men carrying bottles and bricks shouted “Foreigners out!”, the BBC reports.
About 300 people gathered on Tuesday on the corner of Lanark Way and Shankill Road at 8 p.m. and said the Lord’s Prayer for the victim, The Times reported.
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd John McDowell, said: “There is nothing to be gained from street protest and disorder.
“There is an air of intimidation linked to demands for businesses to close. This is unacceptable and unhelpful. There should be no room in our community for threats such as these to law-abiding enterprises.
“I would appeal for calm in a community that is understandably hurting by what was seen and what was reported.
“This was a savage and brutal incident and I condemn it outright. . . The police will be methodical and thorough in the way they fulfil their responsibilities. It is reprehensible to brand all newcomers as dangerous illegals.
“Many families from foreign countries are contributing hugely to wider society and are valued and appreciated. They do not deserve to be singled out or targeted.”
A pastor who had been helping those in houses targeted in the violence said that people were being forced out of their homes “because they’re black”.
The BBC reports that Pastor Jack McKee, of the New Life City Church, was at the scene around the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, where houses were set alight. He said that some members of his church, “who have been with us for 20 years”, were “getting put out of their home, had their house attacked, windows smashed, houses beside them burned”.
He continued: “They’re good Christian people and they’re getting put out just because they’re black.”
The Methodist Church in Ireland said in a statement: “Events like this can heighten anxiety and fear for minority groups who are an integral part of our communities. Every human being is made in God’s image and we continue to pray for a society in which everyone feels safe.”
The victim, Stephen Ogilvie, lost his left eye in the attack. His family said in a statement on Wednesday that the unrest was “not welcome, and peaceful protest is the only way forward. . . We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country.”
In Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the judge warned the suspect that engaging in public disorder and threats against the emergency services would not be tolerated.
Elon Musk, the owner of the social-media site X, called on people to protest “repeatedly” and “loudly” as a video of the incident spread on social media.