Thousands rally against racism in Belfast after unrest

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn condemned the rioting, saying masked thugs had intimidated residents and even forced some families from their homes “on the basis of the colour of their skin.”

Belfast witnessed a powerful show of solidarity on Saturday as thousands gathered for an anti‑racism rally following two nights of unrest sparked by a violent stabbing.

Protesters carried placards reading “Hate is the only threat to our streets” and “Belfast stands against racism,” as they marched through the city center. The demonstration was organized by Unite Against Racism, which said the turnout reflected widespread anger at the recent violence.

The unrest began after video footage of Monday night’s knife attack went viral, showing a man slashing another in the street. A Sudanese man has since appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, who remains hospitalized.

Hilary Hunter, 63, said she joined the rally because she was “just disgusted at what’s going on, our beautiful country.” She added: “Everybody’s here just to show that those people causing all the problems aren’t speaking for us.”

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn condemned the rioting, saying masked thugs had intimidated residents and even forced some families from their homes “on the basis of the colour of their skin.” He described reports of people being stopped in their cars and asked their nationality as “completely unacceptable.”

Local councillor Seamas de Faoite of the SDLP said the rally showed the city’s rejection of racist violence. He noted that community organizations had been working urgently to rehouse those too frightened to return home.

Immigration remains a divisive issue across the UK and Ireland, fueling the rise of hard‑right movements such as Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. Both countries have seen frequent anti‑immigration protests in recent years, some turning violent.

Saturday’s rally in Belfast was intended to send a different message: that the city stands united against racism and refuses to allow extremist violence to define its streets.