This week saw the worst of Belfast, but today saw the best of Belfast. Thousands were in Belfast city centre (and I was one of them!) for an anti-racism rally at 1pm today on Saturday 13 June 2026. Belfast made headlines across the world for all the wrong reasons at the start of the week, but this was an end to the week that shows the true Belfast, and the Northern Irish spirit, where the majority of people stand against racism, fascism and bigotry. We are Belfast.
For those not in the know, a brutal knife crime by a Sudanese man against a local man from North Belfast on Monday 8 June sparked racist riots across Belfast on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 June. I saw the knifing video on social media before it got removed and I must say, it was so barbaric that I had to look away. I really hope the victim is okay; currently he is still in ICU and has lost his left eye.
Nevertheless, what followed on Tuesday was also brutal and barbaric, as innocent families were burned out of their homes as a result, purely because of the colour of their skin. I woke up and cried on Wednesday morning when I saw videos of Belfast burning in the news, including Roma families hurrying out of their burning homes into police vans and Ugandan nurses having to be rescued by their Northern Irish church pastor from their flaming houses. The racist rioting happened in working class areas of East Belfast and the Shankill. Although I now live in a different area of Belfast, I grew up close to some of the areas affected.
The sad fact of the matter is that, despite fears about immigration and asylum seekers, in Northern Ireland they make up only 3.4% of the population. No threat there, unless you’re a racist.
I admit to feeling some level of despair around mid-week, realising that this is now the third year in a row of summer race riots in Northern Ireland, though each year grows more sinister: a ‘hitlist’ of homes to be targeted by rioters showed a sinister level of organisation that really made my blood run cold. Not only that, but nurses going to work being chased by masked men and asked to show ID at roadblocks staged by masked men near Belfast hospitals, which didn’t happen in previous years. But, it was something my sweet innocent son said on Thursday morning that spurred me into action by attending the anti-racism rally. He said simply this:
“There were 12 of my friends missing from class today.”
Twelve wee kids who were afraid to come to school because of their skin colour, or religion, or both. Children deserve to go to school and receive their education in safety. Adults deserve to go to work in safety without masked men chasing them away. And families deserve to live in safety in their homes without fear of being burned out.
Getting back to the original issue of the crazed knifeman who sparked the riots this week. Back in 2023, he flew from Sudan to Paris, Paris to Dublin, then took a bus to Belfast and claimed Asylum, which was ‘fast-tracked’ by the Tories/Home office under Suella Braverman at the time. My question is, why was a clearly deranged mentally ill person allowed to complete a simple questionnaire and then be released onto the streets of Belfast to commit a horrendous crime against a neighbour in his block of flats, a man who only wanted to help him settle into his new home. As for who was in charge of that, well, Suella Braverman is, of course, now with Reform. Yet, none of the rioters flew over to England to riot either in front of the Home office, or at Nigel Farage’s front door.
I wonder why.
Leilanie Stewart 
Good to see a positive riposte to the terrible events of the past week, Leilanie, and for youur own participation. Let’s hope good sense and lawfullness prevail. 🙂
Unfortunately I expect there will be always be a next time as the mainstream media doesn’t help. But today showed me the level of pushback in my city and I’m glad to see the true Belfast being shown to the world. 😄
Me too. The event which caused it was horrendous, but the events which followed were pretty much as bad It’s great to see so many people standing up to say No. Thanks for sharing this positive pushback. 🙂
Thanks Laura, I appreciate all the support I can get at the moment. I’ve had a lot of online abuse on Instagram and Tiktok, some of which are bot accounts I’m sure, but it’s nasty to read nevertheless. Keyboard warriors have nothing better to do, I guess. 😕
That’s appalling; I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through that. Feelings are running high, I guess, and you’re an easy target. Block and delete and don’t worry about them; you’re on the right side. ❤️❤️❤️
I read an article on the Belfast Telegraph from a journalist who said she has been getting online death threats since reporting on the violence in Belfast this week, but she feels immigrants don’t have the ‘luxury’ of online threats as the physical threats for them are terrifyingly real. Sadly, I feel the same way as her, and glad to be showing solidarity with those who are easier targets than me. ❤️
You’re a very brave and good person. I saw some of the trolling on your Instagram. What the hell? 😦
Thanks, you’re a good friend in dark times. ❤️ Yeah, it’s horrible. Tiktok too. The ironic thing is, they’re keyboard warriors from elsewhere. I’ll bet they wouldn’t even know the first thing about Northern Ireland! 😡
NI has its own unique situation, upon which I wouldn’t feel qualified or dare to comment, given the inglorious English history there. Your home, your right; respect. 😐
Sadly the situation over here is pretty much the same as England, Scotland and further afield except NI has it’s own local flavour; like how the rioting is in predominantly loyalist areas and they would hate how the world is reporting them as ‘Irish’ when they identify as British. But anyway, hope there’s no unrest in your city, and we all stay safe. 🌞
Just so, Leilanie, it’s that ‘local flavour’ that the trolls probably know little about. I live deep in the sticks these days, far from cities and only close to small market towns, which suits me just fine. We’ve just had some ‘vigorous protesting’ down south over a related matter, and it’s always ready to kick off. As you say though, let’s all hope to stay safe and have an improvement of the situation. 🙂
Deep in the sticks sounds great! If I had my way, I’d buy a spooky old gothic house in the middle of the rural Irish countryside then go and hermit-it-up while writing lots of books amidst the ghosts and cobwebs. 😂 Yes, here’s to better times! ❤️
I hope you may find that house, then go and write all those books there. In the meantime, stay safe. 🙂