A Sudanese migrant was arrested in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Monday night after allegedly attempting to behead a local man during a brutal knife attack. Disturbing video footage circulating online appears to show the suspect pinning the victim to the ground and repeatedly stabbing him in the head and neck as horrified bystanders pleaded for him to stop.
In the graphic video below, witnesses can be heard shouting at the attacker. One woman yells, “Get off him, you f***ing rat! You!”
The victim, whose face is covered in blood, appears unable to move his arms and can be seen desperately kicking his legs as the assault continues.
At one point, the suspect holds his knife high, before lowering it and appearing to saw the victim’s head off. A male bystander can be heard shouting, “He’s trying to cut his head off. He’s slicing his head off.”
One witness repeatedly struck the attacker with an unidentifiable object mounted on a stick, while two others tried to intervene. Moments later, police arrived on the scene and took the suspect into custody.
The New York Post reported that the victim, a man in his 40s, suffered serious injuries to his face, eyes, and back but survived the attack.
The suspect is Sudanese, although some early media reports misidentified him as Somali. The confusion stemmed from an initial police statement that described him as Somali before authorities later clarified that he is Sudanese. Police attributed the error to the fast-moving nature of the investigation. Authorities have also stated that the suspect was living in the United Kingdom on a five-year visa.
The suspect, described only as a man in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but, according to remarks from Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson at a Tuesday press conference, the police have not yet determined a motive. “We are still at the early stages of our investigation,” he said. “This brutal attack has sent shockwaves through our communities, and I want to reassure all of our communities. Your safety is our priority.”
The attack understandably reignited debate over unchecked immigration in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom. Many citizens are concerns about vetting procedures — or rather the lack thereof, public safety, and the broader impact of large-scale migration.
Authorities fear the brutal nature of this incident will spark protests against immigration policies and Henderson cautioned protesters to keep their activities peaceful.
I want to stress that I absolutely understand that people will be feeling a range of emotions, from fear through to anger and more to have their voice heard … and if there are protests, we very much hope that they will be peaceful.And indeed, we would expect and hope that those people who may want to protest will allow people to go about their own lives.So my message is: please, if you’re feeling concerned or worried, please let us know.
He added that there will be an increased law enforcement presence in the area.
Sky News reported that British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “condemned the attack, describing it as ‘sickening’ and said he had ‘no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.'”
Sir Keir is so detached from reality that he fails to see the connection between his foolish policies and the “abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.”
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn.
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