The last straw; A European city is literally in flames; People are on the verge of 'breaking down' PHOTO/VIDEO

The riots that devastated Belfast broke out after a 30-year-old Sudanese man allegedly attacked a 40-year-old man identified by British media as Scottish resident Steven Ogilvie on Monday.

The attack was described as extremely brutal and caused public outrage, as the attacker allegedly attempted to behead the victim, with horrific footage of the incident reportedly circulating online.

Belfast set on fire

Rioters in Belfast set fire to three houses where migrants live, as well as shops owned by migrants from the Middle East.

Several vehicles were also set on fire.

British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said that “there is no justification for this type of destruction and hooliganism.”

At the same time, peaceful protests were also held against criminals, during which Belfast residents called for increased security.

The foreign national who allegedly attempted to kill the 40-year-old man was granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom in 2023 after, according to The Telegraph, exploiting a “loophole” in the asylum system to enter the country.

He reportedly first moved from Sudan to Paris, then to Dublin, and eventually arrived in Belfast in February 2023.

The so-called “Irish route” involves migrants who first fly into Dublin, sometimes using false documents, and then move freely into Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom but has an open-border arrangement with Ireland. This allows free movement across the border without routine immigration checks.

The British government stated that the man was granted refugee status and was legally allowed to remain in the country until 2028.

The final straw

These events are presented as one of the latest public reactions in Britain to crimes committed by foreigners, which has led to growing skepticism among parts of the majority population toward migrants.

At the same time, migrant communities argue that they are the ones being targeted and that the real cause is rising racism in society.

Between these two opposing views, society appears to be on the verge of further unrest.

Seven days earlier, according to Večernji list, riots also broke out in Southampton, England, after a member of the Sikh community from India was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 21 years, for the murder of a young man named Henry Novak.

British opposition right-wing leader Nigel Farage concluded that the state discriminates against white people and that “white lives must matter.”

It further claims that each such case increases tensions in British society, where many people believe that police and the state protect minorities and migrants more than white citizens, and that politicians like Farage explicitly say this.

Why is Belfast more dangerous?

Tanjug/AP Photo/Peter Morrison

However, the situation in Belfast is even more dangerous. Northern Ireland is a deeply divided society between Catholics and Protestants, with the former wanting reunification with Ireland, while the latter want to remain in the United Kingdom.

These divisions have been institutionalized, and the two communities practically live separately from one another.

Because of this, identity issues are extremely important.

Even in such cases, Catholics and Protestants do not respond in the same way.

Thus, the attack occurred in a part of the city where Catholics live, but the rioters who burned homes and cars and clashed with the police come from Protestant communities.