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Belfast knife attack: 40-year-old victim loses eye in brutal assault by Sudanese man, riots erupt across city

Belfast erupts in riots after Sudanese immigrant’s brutal knife attack leaves 40-year-old victim permanently blinded. Hadi Alodid charged with attempted murder.

Belfast knife attack: 40-year-old victim loses eye in brutal assault by Sudanese man, riots erupt across city
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Anger, tensions, violence and unrest have dominated Belfast in recent hours following the attempted beheading of a 40-year-old man by a Sudanese immigrant. The 30-year-old perpetrator, named Hadi Alodid, appeared before Belfast Court facing charges of attempted murder against the 40-year-old victim. The defendant also faces charges for possession of a sharp object without reasonable cause, as well as threats against the life of a National Health Service (NHS) worker, allegedly made on the same day as the attack. Alodid remained silent during his court appearance and did not respond to questions directed at him. The court ordered his detention, rejecting the bail application. The next hearing is scheduled for July 8th.


Belfast: 40-year-old loses left eye following Sudanese attacker’s assault

Meanwhile, according to latest reports, the 40-year-old appears to have lost his left eye due to the severe injuries he sustained. The information that circulated online yesterday about the attempted beheading of the victim in Belfast city center was blood-chilling. The Sudanese man, who settled in Ireland in 2023, pinned down the 40-year-old in the middle of the road and attempted to cut off his head with a knife. Thanks to the immediate intervention of the “Belfast hero,” a father, and two other citizens, the perpetrator was subdued and arrested. The victim, originally from Scotland, reportedly lived in the same housing complex as the attacker. The motive for the attack remains unknown.


Belfast: 40-year-old continues hospitalization

The 40-year-old continues to be hospitalized in critical condition at a Belfast hospital with injuries to his neck, face, throat and back. Neighbors of both men tell the Daily Mail that much is being heard about the motives for the attack, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Another area resident reveals that Steven Ogilvy was deaf in one ear and that his house had been vandalized last year.


What witness testimonies reveal

“Steven had some problems. He lived alone but often hosted people. He was due to be moved to another social housing apartment on June 15th,” reveals one source. As shown in the videos, the Sudanese man had straddled and immobilized the victim while wounding him in the face and neck with the knife.


“Everything happened very quickly”

Thanks to the immediate intervention of citizens, including the “hero” who stopped the beheading attempt with a hurling stick, the 40-year-old was saved. “I looked outside yesterday evening and saw two men fighting. It was horrible, but everything happened very quickly and then a man appeared with a hurling stick to help. I didn’t initially know that the victim was Steven. I only learned this morning when I found out that police had gone to his apartment. He was attacked right outside his house entrance. From what I hear, he’s alive, but barely. The Sudanese man accused of attacking him lived in another building in the complex. He had only moved there recently,” reveals an area resident.


These are social housing residences

“I’ve seen him several times in the area. He’s originally from Scotland and has been living here for quite a few years. He’s a vulnerable person and some neighbors look after him. The Sudanese man arrested by police also lived in the complex. He hadn’t been there long, maybe about a week. He had just been transferred there. These are social housing residences,” reveals another area resident. The Northern Ireland police chief spoke about the 30-year-old perpetrator, saying he allegedly traveled from Sudan to Paris and then to Dublin, from where he took a bus in February 2023 to Belfast.

He subsequently applied for asylum and was granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom until September of the same year. The Home Office later confirmed that he had been granted asylum after arriving in the country and the right to remain until 2028. The defendant was brought before authorities today and was remanded in custody.


Volatile situation in the city

Hours after the perpetrator’s arrest, protesters began rioting both in Belfast and other areas of Ireland, setting fires and destroying everything in their path. In videos released to the public, at least one bus and dozens of cars can be seen engulfed in flames, with protesters setting fire to immigrant homes and demanding their deportation even if they are legally established in Ireland. Masked individuals clashed with police and broke into houses screaming “foreigners out.”


How Keir Starmer reacted

Finally, Keir Starmer’s reaction was immediate, stating the following in a social media post: “The scenes in Belfast last night were shocking and completely unacceptable. There is no justification for the violence and disorder that we saw threatening our communities, nor for those who encouraged it, online or elsewhere. It is clear that people were targeted last night because of their background and I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will face the full force of the law.

I spoke with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to express my gratitude to them and the emergency services on the front line for their bravery in keeping citizens safe. I also spoke with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to discuss the current situation. The call for calm must be the priority, and that is what I am asking for now. We must let the police do their job,” wrote Keir Starmer.


Keir Starmer’s post

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