Stop trashing our city, Justice Minister pleads as cafe and shop torched in Belfast

Political leaders have slammed violence which saw a cafe and shop set on fire in Belfast last night.

Several cars and bins were also torched in the Sandy Row area as a day of sporadic disorder escalated.

Earlier, rival groups faced off in the city centre as unrest following the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party in Southport spread to Northern Ireland.

At one stage police formed a large cordon around the Islamic Centre on University Street as an anti-immigration march headed towards the area.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “Those trashing our city and attacking businesses should be ashamed. They should also face the full legal consequences of their actions.

“Unlike those working to build businesses and a better future, these hatemongers offer nothing but division and destruction.”

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly pleaded: “Stop it now”.

She said: “Northern Ireland must always be a place that protects the right to protest, the right to have a view and to express it.

“Let’s be very clear – violence is not acceptable. It never was and it is not now. No one has the right to express hate and violence. Stop it now.”

Secretary of State Hilary Benn posted on X: “Shame on those involved in violent disorder in Belfast today. Hatred has no place in our society. I commend the officers of the PSNI for everything they have done to keep people safe.”

UUP leader Doug Beattie called the scenes “absolutely appalling.”

“Those who incited this, not just the perpetrators, must be held to account,” he said.

SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite said south Belfast is “being subjected to further thuggery tonight by fascists and the far right”.

“The threat to lives and livelihoods cannot be tolerated,” he said.

On Saturday, police arrested two people and businesses were attacked, with missiles also thrown at PSNI officers, during trouble linked to an anti-immigration march.

Hundreds of people gathered for the Unity Over Division rally, in support of Muslim communities. Some in the crowd held banners saying ‘no to racism’ and ‘refugees are welcome’.

Soon afterwards, anti-Islamic protesters also gathered near City Hall. Some chanted “Islam out” while others carried a Coolock Says No sign, in reference to a site in Dublin that was being renovated to accommodate asylum seekers.

While the anti-Islamophobia rally ended shortly before 1pm, anti-immigration protesters moved on to south Belfast, arriving on Ormeau Road where around 100 local residents turned them back.

Several businesses around Botanic Avenue were targeted.

Windows were smashed and furniture broken at the Sahara shisha cafe. Its owner Rahmi, who has been in Belfast for 35 years, said he did not “know how to explain” what happened to his children.

Thugs also smashed windows at the Holiday Inn and Dukes at Queen’s Hotel on University Street.

Then, on Saturday evening, cars and bins were torched in the Sandy Row area.

Firefighters attended Bash Cafe which was ablaze.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said four appliances and two officers attended the cafe on fire. The cause was determined as “deliberate”.

NIFRS then received reports of a shop on fire on Donegal Road shortly after 10.50pm. Four appliances attended before leaving the scene just after midnight. The case was also determined as “deliberate”.

On Saturday, the PSNI said they were treating attacks on businesses as “hate crimes”.

Chief Superintendent Stephen Murray said: “We have dealt with a number of protest sites across Northern Ireland today, including a significant protest and counter protest at Belfast City Hall.

“Many of these caused disruption to the road network. A number of roads, including the M5, Wellington Place and Shore Road were closed for a short period of time.

“We continue to deal with protest activity and sporadic disorder in the South Belfast area and are aware of a number of reports of criminal damage which we are currently treating as hate crimes.

“An investigation has commenced and to date we have made two arrests.

“We would like to thank the community for their patience in respect of the disruption they faced and also place on record our support for the community leaders who worked to resolve the situation.”

Deirdre Hargey, a local Sinn Fein MLA who attended the anti-racism rally, said there was shock that the anti-immigrant protest had been allowed to reach south Belfast.

She told the Belfast Telegraph: “Our understanding is the fascist mob that had gathered at City Hall this morning made their way up towards University Road in south Belfast.”

Ms Hargey said it was “very concerning” that the procession was able to march from the city centre to south Belfast.

She added: “We warned about this yesterday and I spoke to the PSNI and said there was refugee and asylum seeker accommodation the whole way up this route.”

Anti-immigrant protests were also held in Bangor.

Local Alliance MLA Andrew Muir said he was ‘disgusted by the shameful hate marches and protests’.

“Northern Ireland is diverse, open, welcoming and inclusive. Together we must all stand up against islamophobia and any forms of racism,” he added.

Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan said: “The violence brought to the streets of Belfast today by racist agitators is utterly unacceptable.​”

Anthony Flynn, a local Green Party councillor, posted on X: “Absolutely disgusting scenes from the far-right thugs throwing fireworks, stones, and other missiles towards a peaceful anti-fascist rally. These people are not Belfast. They will exploit any situation to spread their vile hatred.”

Multiple UK towns and cities saw clashes between anti-immigration demonstrators and counter-protesters, with police officers attacked and injured, and many more arrests promised.

The string of violent incidents over the past few days began on Tuesday in Southport, after three girls were killed in a knife attack.

The victims were Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, from Lancashire, is accused of the attack, but false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said people involved in the clashes “will pay the price” and that “criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain’s streets”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the police have his “full support” to take action against “extremists” attempting to “sow hate” by intimidating communities as he held emergency talks with ministers over the unrest in parts of England.

Arrests have been made across the country with police warning of more to come once CCTV, social media and body-worn camera footage has been scoured.

There was violence on Saturday in towns and cities such as Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester and Blackpool which saw several police officers injured.

It followed a riot in Sunderland on Friday evening.

In Liverpool, Merseyside Police said about 300 people were involved in violent disorder on County Road, Walton, which included community facilities being set on fire.

In Hull, Humberside Police said there were 20 people arrested, three police officers injured and shops looted and burned after a mob attacked a hotel housing asylum seekers.

In Bristol, police made 14 arrests because of violent disorder in the city centre, which Avon and Somerset Police described as “completely unacceptable”.

Lancashire Police said more than 20 people were arrested and dispersal orders were issued in parts of Blackpool, Preston and Blackburn.