Northern Ireland: At least 19 people, including a 16-year-old, have been arrested during protests against uncontrolled immigration in Belfast

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has already arrested 19 people, including a 16-year-old, in connection with the riots that took place this week in various areas of Belfast.

The clashes began following the brutal stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie, 44, on Monday in north Belfast. A 30-year-old Sudanese man, Hadi Alodid, has been charged with attempted murder. Footage of the attack quickly went viral and sparked protests that turned violent.

Tuesday and Wednesday were the most violent days. Protesters attacked homes, vehicles, and trash cans in areas such as the suburban town of Glengormley and the industrial town of Portadown. Police had to deploy water cannons to disperse groups who were throwing bricks, bottles, and other objects.

On Thursday night, the situation was calmer, although an arson attack was reported at the rear of a house on Shore Road in north Belfast.

"The government have turned their backs on the people"

The attack on Ogilvie prompted calls to protest from right-wing figures, such as activist Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk.

Robinson has posted a series of messages on social media criticizing the government of Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The activist, known for his stances on immigration and national identity, wrote on X: "Britain is at breaking point and the government have turned their backs on the people."

Elon Musk even shared post by the activist calling for citizen protests: "Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!"

Government blames "racism" and social media

Naomi Long, Northern Ireland’s home secretary, stated that the violence at the demonstrations is rooted in “racism” and criticized those who, through social media, have exploited and exaggerated the real fear people feel due to the events that have occurred.

Elon Musk responded on X forcefully: "Murderous migrants beheading innocent people in their home town is what’s making people angry, not 'social media'!"

On Wednesday night, police warned that sharing the addresses of foreign nationals on digital platforms could be considered a criminal offense. Police also announced the deployment of additional officers. Reinforcements from the rest of the United Kingdom are expected to arrive on Thursday.

Keir Starmer’s double standard

Meanwhile, in response to the riots in Belfast, Prime Minister Keir Starmer limited himself to describe the protests as "shocking" and "completely unacceptable," promising "the full force of the law" against the protesters; his reaction in 2020 to the violent protests in the U.S. over the death of George Floyd was notably different.

At that time, as leader of the opposition, Starmer went so far as to publicly kneel alongside Angela Rayner in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Furthermore, in a joint message sent to all Labour staff, Starmer and Rayner stated they were "shocked and angry" by Floyd’s death and said they had watched "in horror" as protesters exercising their right to protest “peacefully” were met with police force.