Police investigate Belfast knife attack after video spreads online

A graphic video of a knife attack in north Belfast raced across social media faster than verified details, forcing police and political leaders to try to calm a volatile public reaction. The assault, near Kinnaird Avenue in the New Lodge area shortly after 10:30 p.m. on Monday, left a man in his 40s with serious injuries to his face, neck, back and eyes.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the case was being treated as a critical incident while detectives worked to establish a motive. Officers said there was no information at that stage to suggest the attack was terrorism-related, and they recovered a kitchen knife at the scene. The victim remained in hospital in serious condition.

Police also corrected an early mistake in the suspect’s identity. The 30-year-old man was first described as believed to be Somali, then later identified as Sudanese, a change that came as unverified claims and reposted video clips intensified public anger online.

The spread of the footage quickly became part of the story. Police appealed for witnesses, dash-cam footage and CCTV footage, and warned people not to circulate the video because it could retraumatize those involved. Even as investigators pressed for evidence, social media posts calling for anti-immigration protests began circulating, raising fears of disorder in Belfast and beyond.

Political leaders moved quickly to try to lower the temperature. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “horrific” and “sickening” and urged calm. Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill described it as “harrowing” and asked the public to give police space to investigate. The leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties issued a joint condemnation, saying there was no place in society for such brutality and also calling for calm.

Later reporting said the suspect had been charged with attempted murder and was due in court the following day. PSNI’s latest updates also said the injured man remained in serious condition, underscoring how a single violent assault, amplified by viral video and online speculation, quickly became a test of public order as well as a criminal investigation.