Hilary Benn Criticizes Online Incitement Following Belfast Unrest
Good morning. Hilary Benn, Northern Ireland secretary, has accused individuals online of attempting to incite disorder in Belfast after two consecutive nights of unrest in the city following a knife attack.
The second night of violent disturbances involved police efforts to disperse a crowd of approximately 300 people who set fire to a truck and threw bricks and petrol bombs near the Sandyknowes roundabout close to Newtownabbey, located eight miles north of Belfast.
Twelve police officers sustained injuries, and 16 arrests were made during the second night of unrest, according to Benn. Video footage showed dozens of men dressed entirely in black and wearing face coverings gathering on Antrim Road. They were seen tearing bricks from properties and smashing paving stones with sledgehammers to create projectiles aimed at police.
Rioters attempted to ignite a derelict property near a petrol station in Newtownabbey, with some throwing petrol bombs at police lines. They were also observed removing wheelie bins from outside homes and setting them on fire. Reports indicated some protesters planned to target a nearby hotel believed to accommodate migrants.
These anti-immigration protests, some of which escalated into violence, began on Tuesday in response to a knife attack. Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man from Duncairn Avenue, was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie on Monday. He was also charged with possessing a knife in a public place on Kinnaird Avenue the same day.
’s report from Wednesday night described demonstrators tearing up a garden fence to use as a barricade and shield, and using tyres, furniture, and wheelie bins to start a large fire. A white van was driven into the flames reportedly by a man who left it in gear before exiting the vehicle. Emergency services attempted to extinguish the flames.
Benn has now accused individuals online of inciting disorder in Belfast. Figures including Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk have posted about the riots on social media, with Robinson sharing a list of protest locations accompanied by a caption describing the attack as “yet another invader attack on our people.” Robinson later stated the protests were “not my protests” and that he was “merely passing on information.”
When questioned by BBC Breakfast about alleged incidents of people’s addresses being shared on social media to target their homes with potential hate, Benn said:
“It is completely unacceptable to direct someone to a particular address because you say, or you think you know, that a particular person lives there.
“The vast majority of people would be very shocked to know that was going on and the social media companies have a responsibility to take down illegal content, particularly when we’ve been seeing circumstances like we have in Northern Ireland recently.”
Also on BBC Breakfast, Benn stated that the recent violent outbursts in Northern Ireland do not represent the true nature of the country.
“This is not what Northern Ireland is about, it is not the true Northern Ireland, it’s a place full of warm-hearted people,” he said.
“We’re talking about small number of thugs engaged in this behaviour and now the eyes of the world are on Northern Ireland and that is why this must stop.”
Benn further commented on that ethnic minority individuals in the region are concerned about being targeted next.
“We’ve had reports of people being stopped in their cars to be asked what their nationality is on their way to work, and this is completely unacceptable.”
When asked whether these incidents should be classified as racist riots rather than protests, Benn responded:
“Well, if you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin how else can you describe them? That is racist thuggery, there’s no question about it at all.”
The family of Stephen Ogilvie, the stabbing victim, has appealed for an end to misinformation. Ogilvie remains hospitalized after losing his left eye in the attack.
Here is the agenda for the day:
- 09.30am: Parliament holding a general debate on the legacy of Jo Cox, almost a decade on from her murder
- Morning: An adjournment to mark the ninth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire
- Morning: Government responding to second night of unrest in Belfast, and assessing any links to unrest earlier this month in Southampton
- 5.30pm: Scottish first minister’s questions
DUP Leader Gavin Robinson Calls for Stronger Border Protection
Gavin Robinson MP, DUP leader, stated that borders into the UK require enhanced protection. Speaking on BBC’s Good Morning Ulster, he also noted that he believed there was “less” violence on the second night compared to Monday.
Regarding the violence, he said:
“You cannot raise your concerns about damage to British values and then behave in such an unBritish way,
“Where your neighbours, where your colleagues, where your classmates are sitting intimidated and in fear, are having their homes attacked and their livelihoods destroyed.
“That is totally unacceptable and it is not British.”
Yesterday, Robinson referenced the knife attack during prime minister’s questions. He later added in a statement:
“I welcome the prime minister’s agreement to meet and discuss these issues further. That meeting must focus on protecting community cohesion, strengthening border security, restoring public confidence in the immigration and asylum system, and ensuring that the concerns of law-abiding citizens are listened to and acted upon.
“People are tired of warm words and promises. They want to see action. The Government must now demonstrate that it is prepared to defend our borders, uphold the rule of law and take the necessary steps to keep people safe.”>
Additionally, TUV MP Jim Allister argued that the current system between the Republic of Ireland and the UK is having a “deadly impact.”
In contrast, Claire Hanna, leader of the SDLP, accused those advocating for a hard border of exploiting “people’s worst fears and anxieties.”
