LONDON — Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Belfast on Saturday to denounce anti-immigrant rioters who set fire to homes and cars earlier in the week following a brutal stabbing attributed to an asylum seeker.
The anti-racism rally occurred after nights of violent clashes in parts of Northern Ireland stemming from the arrest of a 30-year-old Sudanese man charged with attempted murder in a stabbing that left a man partially blind.
Protests escalated violently when masked individuals ignited several homes they believed housed immigrants, torched a bus, and assaulted police with bricks, bottles, and firebombs. Officials reported over 25 people left homeless and 12 police officers injured, labeling the incidents “thuggery.”
“Any non-white local individual committing a crime reignites this racist fervor,” Elaine Crory declared to the gathered crowd outside Belfast City Hall.
Peaceful participants carried signs such as “The issue is evil & violence, not race,” “Your racism is not patriotism,” and “Protect people, not prejudice.”
Newlyweds Cara Bell and Matthew Richardson noted it was serendipitous to exit their wedding at City Hall and join the peaceful protest after witnessing the previous week’s violence.
“This highlights that such events do not reflect Belfast’s general sentiment,” Bell stated, emphasizing it was “a week where you’ve seen both the worst and best of humanity in Belfast.”
Calls for calm from officials and the victim’s family were overshadowed by accusations that far-right and anti-immigrant groups incited the protests across the U.K. earlier in the week.
Disorder in Glasgow, Scotland, targeted minorities and caused a mosque to lock down, per police reports.
On Saturday, an anti-racism coalition rallied thousands to reclaim Glasgow streets and “stand against the far right.”
The group was confronted by a smaller group of mostly men who made Nazi gestures and shouted anti-Muslim slogans.
The anti-racism demonstrators shouted, “Nazi scum off our streets.”