The condition of the Belfast stabbing victim is “improving” and he could be woken from a coma within the next 48 hours.
Stephen Ogilvie lost his left eye and suffered deep cuts to his head, face and back in a stabbing attack on Monday which preceded two nights of disorder in Northern Ireland.
Twelve police officers were injured, 16 arrests were made and two people were charged after Wednesday night’s unrest.
An incident in which a nurse was chased and intimidated while on her way to work at Ulster Hospital was also condemned, as Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said “law and order will be coming” for those who engaged in disorder.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson, MP for Belfast East, said he met the parents of Mr Ogilvie on Thursday, and the family were “broken” after what had happened to their son.
“They have spoken very powerfully, in my view, that their desire is that what happened to their son on Monday evening is not used as an excuse for intimidation or division within our society,” Mr Robinson said at Stormont.
“They have asked me to share that, whilst their son remains in a coma, his condition is improving.
“They hope, pray and trust that he will be released from that coma within the next 24 or 48 hours, at which point assessments will be made about his sight and other impacts from the atrocity that happened on Monday evening.
“They are grateful for support, but they particularly are calling for an end to the misinformation, the falsehoods and the lies that are only making a very difficult situation all the worse.”
Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder over Monday’s knife attack.
Police used water cannons during the disorder (PA)
PA Wire
Mobs have since set homes, a bus and cars on fire in Belfast on Tuesday, with people targeted based on their race.
Water cannons were deployed in Co Antrim on Wednesday after police were pelted with bricks and a Department for Infrastructure vehicle was left in flames. There was also serious unrest in Portadown, Co Armagh.
Mr Benn said reports that people had been stopped in their cars and asked what their nationality was, was “completely unacceptable”.
“I know from talking to the chief constable that he and his officers are working extremely hard to identify those who are engaged in the disorder so they can be brought to justice, because if they can find the people, then law and order will be coming for them,” he said at Stormont on Thursday.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told reporters the justice system “stands ready to give long sentences to those bringing disorder to our streets”.
He said police will be “back on the ground” in the city with “bolstered” numbers on Thursday evening.
He told reporters that officers from Great Britain have been drafted in to help prevent disorder.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “I’m also aware that there are bad actors online orchestrating hate and fear, and stoking up tensions.”
A man the PSNI would like to identify disorder (PSNI)
PA Media
Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson said there had to be consequences for people who “fan the flames of division online to further their own narrow agendas”.
He said: “People who couldn’t find north Belfast on a map before this week, people who don’t care about the victim, about what happened to the community, about the young people who are now embroiled in this racist thuggery, and when they move on to their next target, it will be us here in Northern Ireland who are left to pick up the pieces.”
Asked about an incident where a nurse was chased on her way to work in the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald on the outskirts of Belfast, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Jon Burrows said that people who intimidate nurses are “the scum of the earth”.
“If they think they are patriots by pursuing and intimidating the people who are caring for our own citizens, they are traitors to our country,” he said at Stormont.
“When the police get hold of them, they should arrest them, they should charge them, they should remand them and the judge should give them an exemplary sentence.”
Mr Henderson said: “I want to turn next to the disgraceful threats and intimidation directed to our nurses, doctors, carers and healthcare staff, men and women who work every day to save lives and care for our sick relatives, they are the backbone of our public service.
“Tonight we will be increasing our patrols of key areas. I have been talking to colleagues within health trusts and others to hear their concerns about their staff welfare.”
Questions have also been raised about co-operation between the UK and Irish Governments and the Northern Ireland Executive over border controls and immigration roles.
Mr Benn, Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long spoke by phone to discuss protecting and preventing the “abuse” of the Common Travel Area (CTA) in the wake of the Belfast stabbing.
Mr O’Callaghan emphasised to Ms Long and Mr Benn the “significant” border management operations taking place at Dublin Airport.
Alodid, a Sudanese national, entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border by bus in February 2023, having flown to Dublin from Paris.
Alodid then claimed asylum upon arrival and was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.
Mr Benn told reporters in Belfast that further immigration checks were being carried out at ports and airports, and on bus and rail routes, to find “people who are in Northern Ireland who shouldn’t be here, who are working illegally”.
Mr Benn said preventing abuse of the CTA was “a joint endeavour” and said the UK Government supports the CTA which “brings such benefits to the people of Ireland and the United Kingdom, including all those citizens from Northern Ireland who travel across that border every single day”.
SDLP leader Claire Hanna said that criticism of the Irish border in the wake of the stabbing was an attempt to “get the band back together on putting a border on this island”.
“We know that it is neither desirable or practical. It wouldn’t have solved the problem of either the grotesque violence that happened in north Belfast at the start of the week, or the lawlessness that has continued throughout.”
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also appealed on Thursday for assistance in identifying individuals in images connected with Tuesday night’s disorder.
The force also urged those in the pictures to come forward to police.
