A Belfast resident delivered a powerful message this week as he called in to LBC to give his views on the riots in the city.
Wednesday saw a second consecutive night of rioting in Belfast and Northern Ireland following the arrest of a 30-year-old Sudanese man suspected of carrying out a knife attack.
Hadi Alodid appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, who lost his left eye, and sustained deep cuts to his head, face and back during the alleged attack on Monday.
Alodid arrived in the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status later that year, the Home Office said. He had been granted legal leave to remain in the United Kingdom until 2028.
Although Alodid was in the UK legally, the far-right have co-opted the horrific attack to voice their racist views.
This was perfectly highlighted by one Belfast local, Mark, who called the riots exactly what they were – racist.
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When asked by LBC presenter Ben Kentish if he was safe, Mark said he was but only because he is white.
“I’m safe enough, because I’m white, that’s the way we are in this horrible world.” he said.
“If I was a person of colour, I would be absolutely terrified.”
Mark then delivered a powerful reminder about the far-right’s silence when it comes to terrible crimes committed by white men.
He said: “30 women have been murdered in the north in the last six years […] not one road was closed, not one protest. What was the connection? They were all murdered by white locals.”
The Belfast caller went on to say the riots had largely been carried out by ‘pro-British, protestant people’ in Northern Ireland.