Anti-immigrant protesters in Belfast, United Kingdom, have torched vehicles and buildings after a Sudanese man was arrested over a knife attack that left one person with serious injuries.

Hundreds of protesters, many masked, gathered at several locations across the city on Tuesday, setting fire to a bus and several cars. A building near the city centre was also set alight, with residents reporting that protesters started a fire in bins and threw petrol bombs.

Michelle O’Neill, the first minister of Northern Ireland, condemned the protests and urged calm. "Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice," she wrote on X.

The knife attack occurred in north Belfast late on Monday. The suspect, a 30-year-old Sudanese man, was charged late Tuesday with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public place, and making threats to kill. He is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back. Police said a kitchen knife was used in the attack.

Northern Ireland’s Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson declared the unrest a "critical incident" and appealed for calm. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack "horrific" and "sickening."

The attack is not being treated as terrorism. The suspect was living in the UK on a five-year visa granted in September 2023. Police said he allegedly traveled from Sudan to Paris and Dublin before claiming asylum in Belfast.

Source: www.aljazeera.com