A video depicting a knife attack has triggered racist riots in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, with the violence now extending across the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared there will be "no tolerance" for those involved in the unrest.
As anti-immigrant protests intensified, chaos gripped Belfast on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The streets saw mob violence, accompanied by burning trash cans and dense clouds of smoke. The riots spread throughout entire neighborhoods, with a large-scale police deployment attempting to bring the situation under control.
Claire Hanna, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland, characterized the anti-immigrant violence as a "race-based pogrom" during an appearance on the BBC's *Newsnight* program.
"Children in my constituency, and in others, were lifted out of their beds as their homes burned," she told the UK Parliament on Wednesday. "Masked men roamed the streets, going from door to door, menacing and setting fire to cars, buses and homes, terrorizing people on the basis of the color of their skin or the sound of their voice."
On Wednesday, security forces prevented a recurrence of the violence in Belfast. However, marches and riots broke out in other cities across the United Kingdom. According to media reports, individuals were specifically singled out and attacked due to their skin color.
The unrest was ostensibly ignited by a video of a knife attack that went viral on social media. The footage shows a man repeatedly stabbing another who is lying on the ground. The victim was taken to hospital, where he remains with serious injuries. The perpetrator was arrested at the scene and has been charged with attempted murder.
The 44-year-old victim is an Irish man. The 30-year-old suspect is a Sudanese man.
**Racism fueled on social media platforms**
First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence and stated that those responsible would be held accountable. They also criticized individuals who are stoking racism and xenophobia on social media platforms.
The riots occur at a time when various posts on platforms such as X and Telegram have helped to inflame an already tense and aggressive climate. For instance, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a far-right extremist who goes by the name Tommy Robinson and has been convicted multiple times, had called for mass protests across the UK. X CEO Elon Musk retweeted his post.
Other far-right extremists, particularly in the UK and the US, have repeatedly called for marches to protest against British immigration policy.
**Reminiscent of summer 2024 riots**
The violence in Belfast is reminiscent of the summer of 2024, when racist riots erupted across the UK following the deaths of three girls in a mass stabbing incident in the British coastal town of Southport.
Disinformation about the suspect was spread by far-right extremists, including Robinson, in order to systematically incite racist violence online.
**Violent protests erupt over Belfast stabbing**
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**Racism widespread across United Kingdom**
According to observers, the most violent riots this week took place in parts of Belfast that are home to largely Protestant working-class communities, which are traditional unionist strongholds.
Although the 1998 Good Friday Agreement ended decades of deadly civil conflict known as the Troubles, a legacy of neglect is still felt across both unionist and nationalist communities. Unemployment is high, and there is a lack of opportunities in many parts of Northern Ireland. Additionally, since Brexit, many Protestants in Northern Ireland have felt increasingly disconnected from the rest of the UK.
In 2024, the most violent riots occurred in the former industrial powerhouses of Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Hull in northern England, which have declined over the decades. High inflation rates, stagnant wages, and public services such as the NHS that have been strained by austerity measures have heightened existential fears.
This week, the unrest has spread to Southampton in southern England, a city where 18 neighborhoods rank among the 10% most deprived areas nationwide.
**British politicians have fueled a hostile atmosphere**
The anti-migration debate in Britain is not new. Successive Conservative governments attempted to push through a controversial policy to send unwanted migrants to Rwanda for processing. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to "stop the boats" in 2023, referring to the small vessels used to cross the English Channel from France.
Far-right politicians such as Nigel Farage, the leader of the nationalist Reform UK party, have helped to normalize xenophobic narratives and anti-immigrant campaigns in British politics. He and Boris Johnson promised British voters that the UK would "take back control" of its borders if Brexit went ahead.
Immigration has remained high despite Brexit, and some voters believe that the state has failed them.
Starmer has stated there will be "no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets" and that rioters will face "the full force of the law."
But it remains to be seen how quickly the violence will be suppressed. In 2024, it took several days.
This article was originally published in German.