Cars, houses and a bus were torched by gangs of masked demonstrators chanting ‘foreigners out’ after gruesome footage showed Stephen Ogilvie, 43, being stabbed in Belfast
The family of the man who lost an eye in a knife attack and may lose the another have called for calm after violence escalated on the streets. Cars, houses and a bus were torched by gangs of masked demonstrators chanting “foreigners out” after gruesome footage showed Stephen Ogilvie, 43, being stabbed.
Today, relatives called for calm but trouble continued on the streets. Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows, who spoke to Mr Ogilvie’s dad, said: “The victim’s father has… asked me to pass on a direct appeal to those spreading disinformation online: please stop. This has shockingly included false posts on social media at various times that his son has died.
“This is causing immense additional distress to a family already going through an unimaginable ordeal. I echo that appeal wholeheartedly and urge everyone to act with decency and respect for this family.”
Hadi Alodid, 30, a Sudanese national, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted to murder, threats to kill an NHS radiographer and possession of a knife. A source told the Daily Mirror that Stephen could lose his other eye as doctors battle to save it. He is understood to be in an induced coma, in a stable condition.
Last night, people took to the streets across the city as masked gangs set vehicles and properties ablaze. A two-month-old baby was among those rescued by police as a mob set fires and smashed properties during terrifying street violence.
In a statement issued on Wednesday morning through local independent Councillor Stafford Ward, Stephen’s family said: “We are completely devastated by the horrific attack on our loved one on Kinnaird Avenue. This has been a massive shock to our whole family, and right now, our only priority is being at his bedside and helping him recover.
“We want to say a profound thank you to the local people who bravely stepped in during the attack. Your quick actions absolutely saved his life, and we will never forget what you did for him in that moment. We also want to thank the emergency services and the doctors and nurses looking after him.
“We are aware of the tensions and talk of protests following this incident. We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome, and peaceful protest is the only way forward. We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector and we depend on them to make our country work. We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”
The family also asked for privacy and appealed for anyone with information about the attack, or who saw anything strange near Kinnaird Avenue, to go to the police.
Jamie Corrie, whose home of 13 years was destroyed by fire, said watching it burn down was “a feeling I’ll never get over”. Speaking outside the remains of his house on Lendrick Street in east Belfast, he said by the time firefighters arrived it was “already engulfed in flames”.
Mr Corrie said the blaze started after a car belonging to “foreign nationals” who lived next door was torched. He said: “See standing there watching your house get burnt… that’s a feeling I’ll never get over.”
Mr Corrie added that he is also angry about the attack, but asked: “What does this resolve? “What does this actually do? Burning cars out, wrecking your own community and now one of their own has just lost their home.”
He said: “There’s stuff in there that’s sentimental, can’t be replaced, that you’ll not get again.”
Tuesday’s street violence was sparked after footage of the attack on Stephen in Kinnaird Avenue, north Belfast at around 10.30pm on Monday was shared online.
Further violence has also broken out tonight. Disorder has been reported by police in Londonderry.
In a second night of disturbances following a knife attack in north Belfast, police have issued advice for motorists to avoid the Ardmore Road at the Church Brae junction of the city due to items being set alight.
Meanwhile, crowds have reportedly gathered at the Sandyknowes roundabout in Co Antrim.
A vehicle appears to have set alight in Belfast as riot police were deployed to deal with demonstrations on Wednesday night.
Smoke, visible on TrafficWatchNI cameras for the M2, could be seen billowing upwards near the Sandyknowes roundabout in Newtownabbey, which is about eight miles northwest of Belfast city centre.
Videos and posts shared on social media showed protesters attempting to march to the Chimney Corner Hotel, with riot police and several vans being deployed to manage the demonstrations.
Alodid, 30, refused legal representation when he appeared at the city’s magistrates’ court on Wednesday and made no reply to charges which were put to him through an Arabic interpreter.
When asked if he wished to apply for bail, he indicated he did, to which police “strongly” objected. A detective told the court the victim had lost his left eye and received deep cuts to his head, face and back.
Police recovered what it believed to be a kitchen knife at the scene. They had found the defendant armed with a blade and removed him from on top of the victim.
Alodid allegedly later said “I’ve killed someone, I don’t know if they are dead” while in hospital receiving treatment for a hand injury, and told medical staff “I will kill you”, the court heard.
Video circulating online shows hero bystanders, including one wielding a hurling stick, confronting the attacker until the police arrived.
Stephen, who is understood to have learning difficulties and was deaf in one ear, had been living in the same block of flats as the alleged attacker, though no motive has emerged.