Family of Belfast victim appeals for calm and stresses ‘deeply valuable contribution’ of many migrants – UK politics live
From 1h agoFamily of Belfast knife attack victim appeal for calm, in statement stressing 'valuable contribution' migrants make
The family of the victim in the Belfast knife attack have issued a statement via Phillip Brett, a DUP member of the legislative assembly.
They ask for privacy and say they are “completely devastated by the horrific attack on our loved one”.
They praise those who came to their relative’s aid, saying:
double quotation mark
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.
And they urge those angered by the attack to refrain from violence, saying: double quotation mark
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.
Brett has posted the family’s statement on Facebook.
Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor.","elementId":"35d59b97-0cd6-493c-a1df-08f24158f453"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Police in Glasgow said that far-right protestors attacked people because of their skin colour on Tuesday night, leaving three members of public and two officers injured.","elementId":"81151b54-06d5-4bdb-9734-b7f57275b689"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Police Scotland said they made three arrests of men aged 18, 18 and 31 in Glasgow, and policed disruptive but peaceful demonstrations in Edinburgh, Falkirk, Perth, Ayr and Paisley, where no arrests were made.","elementId":"59aa36a9-29a0-4021-b45e-b3d373e01e20"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
The violence was condemned earlier on Wednesday by first minister John Swinney, who said “racism, hatred and intimidation have no place in Scotland”, remarks echoed by Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader. (See 11.42pm.)","elementId":"6cd778e1-b9ed-4cd9-bfd3-fdd8f96f0b5f"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said:","elementId":"2104f296-0598-4d58-b25c-9a8426fb8ee6"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
We understand the concerns people have about their communities and will always balance the right to freedom of expression with the need to tackle crime without fear or favour.\n
Officers responded to disorder and violence, including incidents in Glasgow where members of the public were attacked because of the colour of their skin. Officers were also attacked.\n
I would strongly condemn that offending and send a clear message that there is no place for racism and violence in Scotland.\n","elementId":"ca14c4b5-8df6-4d29-ba9e-69221e98d37d"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
He said the force could also deploy Scottish officers and vehicles to Belfast if there was a request from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, under the UK’s mutual aid polices.","elementId":"3a14f248-f7dd-4d81-9177-97fb51b166aa"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
We have an appropriate policing plan in place, including strong links across UK policing to ensure we are prepared to deal with any escalation in disorder, and we will mobilise specialist resources if necessary.\n
As part of this, our officers will support National Police Coordination Centre mutual aid arrangements for colleagues at the Police Service of Northern Ireland, following careful consideration to our resourcing requirements to ensure there is no impact to policing in Scotland.\n","elementId":"0ce450ba-89bd-4d01-8dc5-40929fd73a39"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1781096175000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"14.56 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1781096478000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"15.01 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1781096478000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"15.01 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"15.01","title":"Racist violence in Glasgow last night left five people, including two police officers, injured, Police Scotland says","contributors":[{"name":"Severin Carrell","imageUrl":"https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/contributor/2007/09/28/severin_carrell_140x140.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=268fdbe82024e185350f606ad4a8e90b"}],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 10 Jun 2026 15.01 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 10 Jun 2026 10.12 CEST"},{"id":"6a2952288f080a615eb1b615","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Féin president, has said the “racist intimidation and violence” in Northern Ireland last night was “orchestrated by loyalist and far-right thugs”.","elementId":"bd245395-b4b9-4fd8-9b33-626a474c5764"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Speaking in the Irish parliament, McDonald said:","elementId":"78386130-00a4-4e4a-b57f-78a2bf457e1d"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
It was right that political leaders in the north came together to unequivocally condemn this attack and to call for the swift delivery of justice.\n","elementId":"ea2d676c-aecc-4007-8291-de387ac9fef0"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
She then condemned the masked men and “organised mobs” who burned families out of their homes and said there were echoes of the pogroms on Bombay Street in Belfast in 1969. She said:","elementId":"499d3d90-d461-4168-b9fb-53d47c9e834c"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
When we said that we would never allow anyone to be treated this way again we meant it, and we meant anyone, not Irish, not any community.\n
Nobody has the right to spread fear, to intimidate, to terrify innocent families, and we have a duty to communities to show political leadership to stand up for what is right.\n
These are the same people, by the way, who in July will burn Irish tricolours on the top of their bonfires — they need to be faced down, their organised racism needs to be faced down.\n","elementId":"a31f798b-9939-4bcf-99e0-22cb8d4385ce"}],"attributes":{"pinned":false,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1781092904000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"14.01 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1781095625000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"14.47 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1781095625000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"14.47 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone":"14.47","title":"Sinn Féin's president Mary Lou McDonald says Belfast rioting 'orchestrated by loyalist and far-right thugs'","contributors":[],"primaryDateLine":"Wed 10 Jun 2026 15.01 CEST","secondaryDateLine":"First published on Wed 10 Jun 2026 10.12 CEST"},{"id":"6a29538e8f0863b3a9806673","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, has defended the common travel area in the light of the controversy generated by the stabbing in Belfast on Monday night.","elementId":"dadc0140-a82f-4487-b65d-6f6bc0c3bd47"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Hadi Alodid, who has been charged with attempted murder following the attack, was an asylum seeker who arrived in Belfast after crossing the open border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Benn said it was important for Dublin and London to work together on tackling illegal migration between the two countries.","elementId":"16a3189a-ef72-403d-bb8e-c8464256e9d9"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
But, speaking at a press conference alongside the PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher, Benn said that getting rid of the common travel area was not the solution. He said:","elementId":"6a359ca4-531f-45b7-ab83-052668a89010"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
We don’t know the full circumstances, but we saw the horrific consequences in the video, the horrific video that was shared online, and which has caused such outrage and such public concern and, of course, we must reflect on the circumstances, and we must continue to carry on with that strong co-operation between the UK authorities and the Irish authorities in seeking to deal with illegal migration across the common travel area.\n
But the answer is not to say the common travel area is the problem which has given great benefit to many, many people over very long period of time.\n","elementId":"812589e4-a11b-423e-b55e-39e91c6cf8a3"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Benn said there was “already close co-operation between the Border Force, the PSNI, the Gardaí and the authorities in Ireland in trying to tackle illegal migration”.","elementId":"f38b8732-4b61-4e5c-99db-e9242bdd6833"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
At PMQs earlier Gavin Robinson, the DUP leader, suggested that the “open, porous border” between Ireland and Northern Ireland should be closed. (See 12.35pm.)","elementId":"83594769-4d00-4eae-98ee-cad9c4e11299"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
At the press conference, asked if he was concerned about the accused, an asylum seeker from Sudan, being granted leave to remain three years ago, Benn replied:","elementId":"394e3403-ef0a-451d-bb48-e651e58d02ed"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is ready to deploy another 200 officers to tackle further disorder, its chief constable, Jon Boutcher, has said.","elementId":"84e1397c-f2a2-4e49-b4ce-9032ce0e2018"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Speaking at a press conference this morning, Boutcher said:","elementId":"706710e6-8e69-4072-b07a-d1944642c54b"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
We will deal with this. We will be on the streets tonight in numbers even more than we were last night, and we have got arrangements in hand to get mutual aid that will be arriving here tomorrow.\n
We’re looking to get a further some 200 officers to get on the streets to deal with this.\n","elementId":"e733e583-7654-4842-835a-8d1b45c236c7"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Boutcher said that two PSNI officers were injured last night.","elementId":"62d7cd94-dd5e-4962-8f65-e19322b045f8"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
We had one officer who was injured yesterday whilst directing traffic away from one of the pockets of disorder, and he was hit with debris on the head. He’s okay.\n
The second officer suffered smoke inhalation when a petrol bomb exploded near him and went under his snood, and had to be taken to hospital.\n","elementId":"53f2ef00-e0c1-4897-8cb1-1dbc312fc24e"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
And people who had to be rescued as their homes were attacked were not injured, Boutcher said.","elementId":"5a4a1ac0-e529-4510-b0b8-b9e19e30dffa"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
Thankfully, last night, with regards to people we evacuated from those houses, there were no injuries.\n
Our absolute focus yesterday was to protect life and property, and that’s what we achieved.\n","elementId":"30855575-f07e-4aa7-869a-91e56fdd1293"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Boutcher said the force would be “going after” those responsible for the disorder last night.","elementId":"ff675505-eeda-4f73-b0a8-d1f54016ba14"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
But he also stressed that, while the PSNI was ready to deploy more officers to quell the disorder, this would leave “huge gaps” in other areas of policing.","elementId":"ed26a091-f297-4f30-b589-26dfcacb5fe2"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
The officers out on the street last night, and who’ll be out there tonight, are from our crime teams, they’re from investigations into terrorist cases, they’re from our domestic abuse teams,” he said.\n
The family of the victim in the Belfast knife attack have issued a statement via Phillip Brett, a DUP member of the legislative assembly.
\n They ask for privacy and say they are “completely devastated by the horrific attack on our loved one”.
\n They praise those who came to their relative’s aid, saying:","elementId":"e71574a5-ff3d-40b7-914a-2670d9843e56"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
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.\n","elementId":"ae556d85-e380-4175-97db-f7ad3787a0aa"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
And they urge those angered by the attack to refrain from violence, saying:","elementId":"69124903-c8fc-4c12-966b-b8745d0250b2"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":"\n
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.
\n 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.\n","elementId":"cadcb4ef-8e96-4044-b8f6-97137932547b"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":"
Brett has posted the family’s statement on Facebook.","elementId":"0325f043-5f32-4b42-9f51-45c17ac8b3dc"}],"attributes":{"pinned":true,"keyEvent":true,"summary":false},"blockCreatedOn":1781091938000,"blockCreatedOnDisplay":"13.45 CEST","blockLastUpdated":1781092543000,"blockLastUpdatedDisplay":"13.55 CEST","blockFirstPublished":1781092165000,"blockFirstPublishedDisplay":"13.49 CEST","blockFirstPublishedDisplayN
