A man in his 40s, Stephen Ogilvie, was seriously injured in a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday night, and 30-year-old Hadi Alodid has been charged with attempted murder amid unrest that followed.
Stephen Ogilvie, a man in his 40s, suffered severe injuries in a knife attack on Kinnaird Avenue in north Belfast late on Monday, June 8. Prosecutors allege the attacker used a kitchen knife; a detective told Belfast Magistrates’ Court that Ogilvie was blinded in his left eye and sustained deep cuts to his head, face and back. Hadi Alodid, 30, was charged with attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place, and threatening to kill an NHS radiographer. He appeared in court by video link, declined legal representation and was assisted by an Arabic interpreter. A judge refused bail and remanded him in custody to reappear on July 8. Footage of the assault circulated widely online and was followed by anti-immigration protests and disorder across parts of Belfast and elsewhere in Northern Ireland. Police said masked groups attacked officers and set fire to vehicles and homes, including properties believed to be occupied by immigrants, prompting evacuations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the stabbing as “sickening” in a public statement, while urging calm and saying violence against people targeted because of their background would not be tolerated. Police said Alodid entered Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland in 2023, applied for asylum and was granted permission to remain for five years. Police also said there was no information at this stage to suggest the stabbing was terrorism-related. Northern Ireland’s Executive also issued a joint appeal for calm, urging people to reject violence and allow the rule of law to prevail.
