Police say 35 arrests made after disorder that followed North Belfast stabbing

Police say 35 arrests made after disorder that followed North Belfast stabbing The PSNI released the figures as it defended its approach to policing the violence that erupted after last week's knife attack 19:40, 15 Jun 2026 There have been 35 arrests made and 23 people charged to date after disorder broke out following the Belfast stabbing last Monday. ‌ The PSNI released the figures as it defended its approach to policing the violence that erupted after a knife attack in North Belfast in which the victim lost an eye. ‌ Homes, a bus and cars were set on fire in Belfast and elsewhere as people were targeted based on their race. ‌ A week on from the disorder, senior officers defended the PSNI's approach to tackling the disorder and said its officers had "undoubtedly saved lives". Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson rejected claims its response was "anything other than appropriate" and praised the work of officers, 42 of whom were injured during violence that erupted last week. "Within 24 hours of the attempted murder of the man in Kinnaird Avenue, police officers had arrested and charged a man in relation to this horrendous attack," he said. ‌ "That day, we extensively appealed for calm and to allow justice to take its course. Sadly, what we saw following was inexcusable lawlessness and disorder across Belfast and beyond. "Our officers worked under incredibly challenging conditions to calm disorder, protect lives and restore calm. "During the peak of the disorder, people intent on chaos came out to burn homes and cars with people fleeing. ‌ "Police officers were first to many of these scenes and helped people to safety, including a two-month-old baby. "Responsibility for the violence, criminal damage, intimidation and disorder lies squarely with those who came out on the streets. "Throughout this time, our officers have worked around the clock to protect life, prevent further harm and facilitate lawful, peaceful protests." ‌ He paid tribute to the officers for their display of "unwavering professionalism, courage, and resolve". "Once again putting themselves in harm's way to keep people safe resulting in unacceptable injuries to 42 of them – they are a credit to us all," he said. "Throughout the disorder, there has been extreme, anti-immigration disinformation on social media, underscoring the reality that there are those in society who seek to use any incident in our communities to create misunderstanding, generate fear and provoke anti-migrant sentiment. ‌ "We have been working night and day to ensure those who chose to bring violence to our streets are brought to justice. "To date, there have been 35 arrests and 23 people charged to court by the Public Order Enquiry Team. "The charges are for a number of offences including riotous behaviour, attempted criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of an article with intent to damage property, disorderly behaviour and assault on a police-designated person. ‌ "Those responsible will face the full force of the law." He added: "There can be no justification for the violence and disorder we have seen last week. The public can be reassured that they will continue to see a heightened police presence in towns and cities, and engagement will continue as we work to keep people safe. "Our increased presence and engagement in local communities includes communicating through digital channels to ensure anyone caught up in potential disorder thinks again and walks away. Article continues below "We would also repeat our appeal to anyone who has been the victim of, or has any information on, any crime to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. We can assure you that we will always act on concerns and information we receive." For all the latest news, visit the homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.