Rioters set fire to homes, buses and foreign businesses after an anti-immigration demonstration spiralled out of control in Belfast yesterday evening. It all kicked off when a Glider bus on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast was set alight in protests organised in response to Monday night’s stabbing attack in the city. In London, around 100 Tommy Robinson supporters stood in Parliament Square and ordered police to take the knee. In the wake of the stabbing, the far-right activist – boosted by Elon Musk – issued a rallying cry: ‘The whole of the United Kingdom is hitting the streets tonight following yet another invader attack on our people. It’s time.’ A man in his 40s was left with serious injuries to his eyes following the attack on Monday night in central Belfast. The suspect, a Sudanese national aged in his 30s, who entered the UK across the Irish border having flown from Paris to Dublin, remains in custody and will appear in court later today, but Belfast is still grappling with the chaos from last night. Live Feed Sort: Newest first Oldest first June 10, 2026 6:12 am What sparked last night’s riots? Sarah Hooper A man is in a serious condition after he was attacked on Kinnaird Road in north Belfast at around 10.30pm on Monday.He’s currently in hospital receiving treatment for serious eye, face and back wounds.Harrowing footage showed a man stabbing at the victim’s head and neck while he was lying on the ground.The clip shows people, including one with a hurling stick, intervening to stop the man attacking the victim in the Kinnaird Avenue residential area close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast.The suspect entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border in February 2023, having flown to Dublin from Paris.The suspect claimed asylum upon arrival and, in September 2023, was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028. June 10, 2026 6:09 am Belfast grapples with the aftermath of ‘outright thuggery’ Sarah Hooper Firefighters and police are still at work this morning (Picture: Shutterstock) The sun is up in Belfast again this morning as the city begins to grapple with the damage from last night.The fire brigade said they attended 62 incidents last night alone, many of which were family homes.Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill condemned the ‘outright thuggery’.She said: ‘Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.’ June 10, 2026 1:29 am Ending the live blog thank you for following. It will be picked up later in the morning Barney Davis June 10, 2026 1:20 am Elderly woman describes being evacuated Barney Davis Helen Williamson was told to get out of her house in south Belfast by firefighters.She said: ‘I was a bag of nerves I’ve been here for 58 years but I have never seen anything like this. It’s supposed to be a protest why damage everything in the street?’ June 9, 2026 11:59 pm Suspect charged and will appear in court tomorrow Barney Davis PSNI said: ‘We want to reiterate that the 30 year old man charged with attempted murder, possession of an article with blade or point in a public place and threats to kill remains in police custody in a police station and is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 10th June. ‘ June 9, 2026 11:32 pm Family get into Police car after being rescued from burning houses in east Belfast Barney Davis June 9, 2026 11:26 pm Torrential rain puts a dampner on fires and rioters’ fury Barney Davis Police will be hoping the awful weather gets even wetter in Belfast as it quells the fury on the streets.No numbers on arrests or injuries so far. June 9, 2026 11:20 pm Secretary of Northern Ireland says law must take its course Barney Davis In a tweet reposted by Sir Keir Starmer, his Northern Ireland secretary said ‘People have been rightly shocked by the brutal attack in north Belfast, but the police must be allowed to do their job so the law can take its course.‘The scenes of disorder we have witnessed in some parts of Northern Ireland this evening are only damaging communities and putting innocent lives at risk. There is no justification at all for this type of thuggery. I echo the call from the PSNI for this violence to end now.’ June 9, 2026 11:15 pm Flaming car sent into Chinese takeaway as people smash up charity shop in Kilkeel Barney Davis KILKEELA car has been parked at a business and set ablaze. pic.twitter.com/F2JHCyDOeQ— The Flare (@TheFlareNews) June 9, 2026 June 9, 2026 10:58 pm Sinn Féin MP calls violence ‘disgraceful’ Barney Davis North Belfast MP John Finucane said that the victim of the stabbing is being lost in all the disorder.He said: ‘There is understandable disgust and revulsion at the horrific attempted murder that took place last night. I share that revulsion.‘But the scenes we are witnessing tonight, family homes attacked, cars burnt, damaged infrastructure and parts of our community in flames, are shameful and disgraceful.‘No one has the right to spread fear, terrorise innocent families or unleash lawless disorder on our streets.’‘The actions of those who are destroying their own communities are totally unacceptable.‘It is clear that the horrendous attack last night is being used to whip up fear, division and hatred. That must be called out.’ Vehicles set on fire by protesters on Lendrick Street in Belfast June 9, 2026 10:49 pm Burning car sent crashing into apartment block Barney Davis Burning car crashes into apartment building in Belfast, Northern Ireland amid protests over attempted beheading of a man. pic.twitter.com/9xbvWdGcEj— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) June 9, 2026 June 9, 2026 10:40 pm Rioters are grouping up taking over the streets Barney Davis Residents are being removed from houses which have caught fire in Lendrick Street in east Belfast.Two cars have been set alight outside properties in the Tigers Bay area of north Belfast this evening as disorder continues to spread to large parts of Northern Ireland. Vehicles set on fire by protesters on Lendrick Street in Belfast June 9, 2026 10:12 pm Homes burn and petrol bombs thrown at police cars Sarah Hooper The situation in Belfast is continuing to deteriorate as police struggle to contain the riots. Aerial footage of the city has shown multiple homes ablaze.In Newtownabbey, north of Belfast, a group of masked men were filmed throwing petrol bombs at police cars as chaos spreads from the city centre.In East Belfast, firefighters are working to evacuate residents on Lendrick Street, where multiple houses have caught fire.In other areas of the city, smoke was seen rising as homes near Crumlin Road caught fire. Another property, in Dundonald, was also set alight. June 9, 2026 10:11 pm Firefighters going from house to house trying to evacuate family homes Barney Davis Emergency services are finally getting through roadblocks and breaking down doors to check they are empty before fire engulfs them. June 9, 2026 10:04 pm ‘Hate cannot be allowed to win’ Barney Davis Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long has tried to quell disorder broke out in a number of areas following a knife attack in Belfast on Monday.Ms Long said: ‘Earlier today, I stood beside the First Minister, deputy First Minister and the PSNI Chief Constable and we appealed for calm.‘Sadly, there are those who have chosen to ignore those pleas; they are intent on wreaking destruction on the very communities they claim they are trying to protect.‘They are weaponising the genuine hurt, concern and anger that people are feeling for their own misguided purposes.‘There is no place for masked thugs to take to the streets and threaten, intimidate, disrupt and cause wanton damage – it is simply disingenuous to claim this is being carried out for the good of Northern Ireland.‘While I recognise and understand the concerns following on from the attack in north Belfast, hate cannot be allowed to win.’ June 9, 2026 10:02 pm What is the ethnic makeup of Belfast? Barney Davis Belfast is largely white, more than 92% according to the latest census.43.5% Protestanr and 29.7% CatholicWhite: ~92.9–93.1%Asian / Asian British (total): ~3.7–4% Black / Black British (total): ~1.3% June 9, 2026 9:56 pm Masked raiders are seen breaking into building supplies to start more fires Barney Davis A group of people have broken into a building supplies store and filling up skips with wood to start fires.Other men have been seen setting up unofficial checkpoints across Belfast.🇮🇪 #NorthernIreland: Random checkpoints have been set up by protesters in Belfast. This one on a broadway roundabout near the Falls Road, an intersection between a Republican and a Loyalist area.(via spicebag32 on TG) pic.twitter.com/d0EoU7LbhL— POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) June 9, 2026 June 9, 2026 9:49 pm Belfast public transport network shutdown Barney Davis Translink, which operates public transport in Northern Ireland, has suspended all bus and train services for the remainder of the night following an attack on its Glider service.A spokesperson condemned the attack and said the suspension was made in the interests of staff and customer safety. Translink said it is liaising closely with the PSNI and will follow their guidance. Services are expected to resume as normal the following morning. June 9, 2026 9:42 pm Mobs of masked men kick down doors of homes, set fires outside world supermarkets Barney Davis Video taken in Belfast appears to show dozens of balaclava-clad men kicking in the doors of homes in Belfast.Flats above a Middle Eastern supermarket appear to have caught fire after a blockade was put up.A Turkish barber in Ballyclare had its windows smashed.Police riot vans have arrived at the scene trying to disperse the crowds gathering. June 9, 2026 9:39 pm Smoke covers Belfast as disorder pops up all over city Barney Davis Several fires have erupted all over the Northern Irish capital.Children can be seen running as car parked in drives are set on fire.Masked males set commercial bins alight and pushed them into the Glider bus on the Newtownards Road in the east of the city on Tuesday evening.Demonstrations are taking place in areas across Northern Ireland following Monday night’s incident. Multiple roads have been blocked by groups of masked protesters preventing the fire brigade from entering.