Two charged after second night of violence in Belfast which left 12 police officers injured
Two people have been charged following disorder in Northern Ireland on Wednesday evening following the Belfast stabbing attack. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a 24-year-old woman has been charged with disorderly behaviour and possession of an article with intent to do damage.The force also said a 28-year-old man has been charged with failing to remove a disguise when requested, obstructing police and resisting police.Both are due to appear at Lisburn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.Police used water cannons as officers were pelted with bricks and petrol bombs by balaclava-clad rioters in Co Antrim.PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told reporters the justice system “stands ready to give long sentences to those bringing disorder to our streets”.12 police officers injured Some 12 police officers were injured and 16 arrests were made in the second night of unrest in Northern Ireland following the stabbing, Hilary Benn has said.The Northern Ireland secretary said he was “glad to say that last night there was less disorder than we witnessed on Tuesday night”, as he condemned the “racist thuggery” seen in the wake of Monday’s stabbing assault which left the victim in hospital.Police used water cannons on rioters, as officers were pelted with bricks and petrol bombs by balaclava-clad rioters in Co Antrim on Wednesday evening.A Department for Infrastructure vehicle was left in flames as rioters confronted police near the Sandyknowes roundabout in Newtownabbey to the north west of Belfast.Footage showed dozens of men dressed all in black and wearing face coverings gathering on Antrim Road, where they could be seen tearing bricks from properties and smashing paving stones with sledgehammers to create projectiles to throw at police.Rioters attempted to set fire to a derelict property near a petrol station in Newtownabbey, with some throwing petrol bombs at police lines.They could also be seen taking wheelie bins from outside homes and lighting fires in them.The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) appealed for assistance in identifying individuals in images connected to Tuesday night’s disorder.The force also urged those in the pictures to come forward to police.In Derry, police reported items having been set alight on the Ardmore Road.The family of the victim Stephen Ogilvie said they were “disgusted” by the disorder.In response to a second night of disorder, Mr Benn told LBC Radio: “Thugs burning people out of their homes because of the colour of their skin.“This is not what Northern Ireland is about.” He added: “Most importantly, the family of Stephen Ogilvie, who was so brutally attacked on Monday night, have said that they don’t want to see this.” Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday, charged with attempted murder over Monday’s knife attack in which Mr Ogilvie lost an eye.The reaction to the incident saw mobs set homes, a bus and cars on fire in Belfast on Tuesday, with people targeted based on their race.Sudanese national Alodid was able to stay in Britain in 2023 after filling in a questionnaire rather than facing the standard interview, the Daily Mail reported.Mr Benn told Times Radio the fast-track asylum scheme is no longer in operation, and asylum seekers are now “properly processed” in order for a decision to be made on whether they should be granted asylum.A trade union secretary told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme she believes paramilitary groups were “undoubtedly” involved in the Belfast unrest.Patricia McKeown, a regional secretary for Unison, said many workers across the region had received threats since Monday’s knife attack.She told the broadcaster: “Yesterday evening a nurse with a different skin colour was chased into the Ulster Hospital by four masked men.” Ms McKeown said the nurse still insisted on working her shift, and has since been found alternative accommodation.Leader of the DUP Gavin Robinson told the programme he believed there was “less” violence on Wednesday night than the previous evening.Mr Robinson said he is against people “abusing our hospitality” and more needs to be done in “protecting” borders into the UK.The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox urged people not to “create chaos” as she condemned the racist and violent scenes in Northern Ireland.Kim Leadbeater said she understands anger at Monday’s knife attack but appealed for people not to “riot and cause more trouble and more problems”.'Chased and intimidated' A nurse was “chased and intimidated” on her way to work at Ulster Hospital on Wednesday night, the South Eastern Trust has said.The trust condemned the “racist” attack and commended her for “bravely” insisting on remaining at the hospital to care for people.“The South Eastern Trust is horrified that a nurse on her way to work last night was chased and intimated,” it said in a statement.“We utterly condemn this racist attack. This nurse bravely insisted on remaining in the Ulster Hospital to care for the most vulnerable in our community.“Her behaviour is in stark contrast to the behaviour of the people who terrified her as she tried to do her job. The trust values and champions diversity and inclusion.“All staff working in Health and Social Care across Northern Ireland are trying to care for everyone’s families in incredibly difficult circumstances.“We would like to thank them for their continued dedication.”'We have been left feeling disgusted' In a fresh statement issued via the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Wednesday evening, Mr Ogilvie’s family said they wanted to make clear they do not support violence.“We have been left feeling disgusted by the scenes that unfolded yesterday across Northern Ireland in the wake of what happened,” he said.“We want to make it absolutely clear that to do this in response is not supported by our family, and peaceful protest is only ever the way forward.” We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility - do not do this in the name of our loved one as we do not share the same values They went on to emphasise they do not want what happened to their loved one to divide people.“We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including from within our healthcare system and hospitality sector, and we depend on them to make our country work,” they said.“We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility – do not do this in the name of our loved one as we do not share the same values.”The family also paid tribute to those who intervened during the attack.“We also wish to say a profound thank you to the local people who bravely stepped in during the attack,” they said.“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.”They added an appeal for anyone with information about the attack to speak to police.“If you know anything at all about the attack, or saw anything strange near Kinnaird Avenue, please go to the police and stop sharing false information on social media, as it is deeply distressing,” they said.“Thank you for respecting our privacy.”
