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account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Burned out cars and houses on Lendrick Street in east Belfast earlier today.Alamy Family of stabbing victim say they are ‘devastated’ by attack and ‘unrest is not welcome’ “We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.” 1.30pm, 10 Jun 2026 Share options THE FAMILY OF a man left seriously injured by a stabbing in Belfast on Monday night have said they are “completely devastated by the horrific attack”. It
happened on Kinnaird Avenue in north Belfast. A 40-year-old a man has been charged with attempted murder. The victim – a man aged in his 40s – remains in a serious condition in hospital receiving treatment for serious eye, face and back wounds. The family has issued a “profound thank you to the local people who bravely stepped in during the attack”. Footage of the incident showed a member of the public intervene with a hurl in an attempt to stop the attack. “Your quick
actions absolutely saved his life, and we will never forget what you did for him in that moment,” said the family. The family also thanked the emergency services and the doctors and nurses. Protests yesterday evening in response to the stabbing attack turned violent in many places, with people forced to flee their homes as multiple cars and homes were set alight. A two-month-old baby was among those who had to flee their homes. The family said they are “aware of the tensions and talk
of protests following this incident”. “We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome, and peaceful protest is the only way forward.” The family added that Nothern Ireland is home to “many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector and we depend on them to make our country work”. “We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.” The family also asked for
privacy and for people to refrain from “speculating about what happened”. The family also encouraged anyone with information to contact the PSNI. The statement comes as PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher vowed that the force will “go after” people online who “incited” rioting across Northern Ireland. Speaking at a press conference in Belfast today, Boutcher remarked that “it’s very easy” for young people “to get carried away with a tide”. Advertisement He then added: “It’s very easy, these days especially, to look online and be
persuaded by people who know nothing about Northern Ireland, know nothing about the history of Northern Ireland, to take actions that they otherwise would not take. “Stop looking at this nonsense, stop listening to these idiots. “We will be going after them for the incitement that they’ve been doing.” Far-right activist Tommy Robinson and X owner Elon Musk are among the figures who have commented on the public disorder in Belfast. Boutcher said he wouldn’t “talk about individuals in this press conference” but added: “People
will know who were online last night and inciting this behaviour. He said the PSNI will be investigating this, as it did also last year following riots in Ballymena. “We prosecuted those individuals successfully, and that will happen again. “There are consequences to what people do that lead to the actions that we saw last night, and the police will ensure that those consequences are carried through, I promise you.” Boutcher added that 200 extra police officers will arrive in Northern Ireland tomorrow, but that
he hopes last night will have been the height of the violent disorder. He added that two PSNI officers were injured last night, one of whom was treated for smoke inhalation from a petrol bomb that was thrown nearby, and the other after being struck on the head from debris. Boutcher was joined at the press conference by Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn. He noted that one of the families forced from their homes had lived in Northern Ireland for over 20 years.
“These are our neighbours, our friends, our colleagues at work. It is utterly shameful, and people need to speak out about it.” Benn then remarked that there is a “particular responsibility on members of parliament, all of us, because we are leaders of our communities”. While he welcomed political leaders “appealing for calm”, he added: “We will be judged by the words that we use, and I would say, when a reference was made to ‘alien cultures’, what was that trying to say? “Because what
is it saying about the people who have come from Sudan? “There is probably a surgeon from Sudan operating on someone somewhere in the United Kingdom as we stand here, saving somebody’s life. “We have a huge responsibility to think carefully about our language and not to fan the flames of disorder, the kind of disorder that we saw last night.” He said that while people “have an absolute right to protest peacefully, they have no right to do so much damage to their own
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Belfast stabbing, Kinnaird Avenue, attempted murder charge, PSNI, Jon Boutcher, Hilary Benn, protests, unrest, Tommy Robinson, Elon Musk, migrants