‘That isn’t protest, it’s organised, racialised attacks’, says Labour MP Calvin Bailey on Belfast violence

Labour MP Calvin Bailey has condemned ‘organised, racialised’ attacks in Belfast, which has seen homes and businesses belonging to ethnic minorities attacked and vandalised, following  a knife attack in the north of the city on Monday night.

The accused, Hadi Alodid, appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning charged with attempted murder, possessing a bladed article without good reason, and making threats to kill an NHS worker on the same day as the attack.

The victim of Monday night’s stabbing, Stephen Ogilvie, has lost his left eye, and sustained deep cuts to his head, face and back, a detective told the court.

Alodid, with an address in Belfast, claimed asylum upon arrival and in September 2023 was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.

Far-right thugs like Tommy Robinson, supported by the likes of tech billionaire Elon Musk, have used the horrific incident to once more push their anti-immigrant agenda and called for people to take to the streets.

A wave of protests occurred across Belfast, with crowds engaging in rioting and burning down and attacking homes belonging to ethnic minorities. A Belfast pastor who assisted those who resided in houses burned down last night said people were being targeted “because they’re black”.

Graphic video on social media shows houses being burned down by masked thugs who were also throwing projectiles at police.

Appearing on Newsnight to discuss the racist violence, Labour MP Bailey said: “Let’s call this what it is. That isn’t protest, that is…. organised, racialised attacks.

“To assume or to pretend that it is anything else, just diminishes what is actively happening here.”

Bailey also condemned the role of social media in allowing misinformation and extremist content to be spread.

Musk, the owner of X,  shared a post by far-right thug Tommy Robinson, in which the founder of the EDL urged supporters to join street protests against this “invader attack”. Robinson provided a list of locations across Great Britain and Northern Ireland where protests were planned on Tuesday night.