UK Minister Calls Belfast Violence 'Racist Thuggery'

UK Minister Hilary Benn condemned anti-immigration violence in Northern Ireland as 'racist thuggery' after two nights of riots targeting ethnic minorities. Police used water cannons and plastic bullets to control crowds seeking to reach a hotel housing asylum seekers, following a knife attack by a Sudanese man charged with attempted murder.

Benn stated on Sky News that the violence was deeply traumatic for the province's ethnic minority communities, who reported being stopped in their cars and harassed based on their nationality. The riots followed a knife attack in Belfast where Stephen Ogilvie suffered severe injuries, and Hadi Alodid, a Sudanese national, was charged with attempted murder.

Police and politicians attributed much of the violence to online coordination through social media platforms. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson noted that toxic online activity had fueled the unrest, which has been ongoing for three summers in Northern Ireland. The violence brought back memories of 'The Troubles,' a period marked by sectarian conflict between Irish nationalists and pro-British loyalists.

In Glasgow, rival protesters clashed after thousands gathered for an anti-racism rally organized by Stand Up To Racism. Counter-protesters performed Nazi salutes and shouted anti-Islam chants while projectiles were thrown towards the anti-racism group. Police Scotland reported that people in the city were targeted due to their skin color, and a local mosque was forced to lock worshippers inside for safety.