Belfast riots: 5,000 Bangladeshis confined to homes amid racist attacks

An estimated 5,000 Bangladeshi nationals are living in a state of siege in their homes in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, following days of violent anti-immigrant protests sparked by a stabbing incident .

The unrest began on Monday, June 8, after a 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker, Hadi Alodid, was charged with the attempted murder of a local man, 40-year-old Stephen Ogilvie, who lost an eye in the attack . The incident’s video spread rapidly on social media, and by Tuesday evening, tensions had erupted into widespread, organised violence .

The violence escalated dramatically on Tuesday night when masked rioters began systematically targeting immigrant homes in areas like Tiger’s Bay. Reports indicate that a list of multi-occupancy residences was circulated on social media, serving as a "target list" . In the initial hours of the unrest, at least 13 homes were attacked, with some set on fire after residents were forced out .

Bangladeshi families attacked, forced to flee

The Bangladeshi community has been directly and severely impacted. At least three Bangladeshi families were attacked in Tiger’s Bay. One family’s home was broken into and ransacked by a mob of 25 to 30 masked people .

The family was told by police to evacuate immediately and has been placed in a temporary two-bedroom flat with two other families, totalling eight people .

A long-time community member, Sadikur Rahman, noted that the targeted nature of these attacks is unprecedented in a city known for its peace over the last two decades .

With their businesses also shuttered and a climate of fear pervading the city, the 5,000-strong Bangladeshi community remains confined, too frightened to step outside and uncertain of when they can safely return to their homes .