Belfast Riots on June 9 Follow Knife Attack, Fueled by Far-Right Misinformation
Riots in Belfast on June 9, sparked by a knife attack, saw widespread destruction and raids. Far-right figures and misinformation on social media fueled the unrest, leading to violent protests despite calls for calm. The victim's family condemned the violence, highlighting migrants' contributions to Northern Ireland.
Riots erupted in Belfast on June 9, involving masked men raiding homes, and the destruction of buses, homes, and cars. These events stemmed from protests responding to a severe knife attack the previous night, which left a victim with a lost left eye, serious injuries to the other, and deep lacerations.
The attack video, widely shared online, showed a man straddling the victim with a knife, while bystanders intervened. However, misinformation also spread, including false claims that the victim was a child, had died, or was decapitated. Irish far-right figures, including mixed martial artist Conor McGregor, exploited the incident to promote anti-immigration agendas, with McGregor's posts on X garnering millions of views.
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson and X owner Elon Musk also amplified calls for protests and business closures in Belfast, with Robinson's post listing protest locations viewed over 8.4 million times. Inflammatory rhetoric from elected officials like MP Rupert Lowe and unionist activist Jamie Bryson further fueled the unrest. Despite calls for calm from the PSNI and Northern Ireland's political parties, protests escalated into violence, with the fire service responding to 62 incidents between 7 pm and midnight. The victim's family condemned the unrest, emphasizing the value of migrants to Northern Ireland.