Arabic version: عائلة ضحية الطعن تدعو إلى السلام خلال الاحتجاجات

The family of Stephen Ogilvie, a Northern Irish man who lost an eye in a knife attack, has appealed for calm following violent anti-immigration protests in Belfast. According to ABC News, the protests erupted after videos of the stabbing circulated online, prompting clashes between police and protesters for a second consecutive night.

Ogilvie’s family issued a statement emphasizing the need for peaceful protest and expressing their support for migrants who contribute positively to society. They stated, “We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”

The suspect in the stabbing, identified as 30-year-old Sudanese national Hadi Alodid, has been charged with attempted murder and appeared in court where he was remanded in custody. The violence has drawn condemnation from British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and local politicians, who highlighted the inappropriate nature of the protests targeting ethnic minorities.

During the protests, masked individuals set fire to cars and homes, prompting police to deploy water cannons and armored vehicles. Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long criticized those exploiting the situation, referring to them as “bad faith actors” seeking to incite further unrest.

This unrest follows a pattern of rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the UK, with recent incidents believed to involve migrants sparking demonstrations from various activist groups. Northern Ireland has seen an increase in migration in recent years, leading to heightened tensions in a region historically characterized by its low immigration levels.