—
A man from Sudan was arrested after being caught on video apparently attempting to behead another man in the streets of Northern Ireland.
Law enforcement identified a Sudanese national as the man shown in an extremely graphic video pinning another man down and repeatedly stabbing the victim in the face and neck in the streets of Belfast. Bystanders stepped in and attempted to wrestle the man off the victim.
🚨 NEW: A man has been arrested after an attempted beheading of another man in north Belfast tonight pic.twitter.com/CFQirpQDwL
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 8, 2026
“He’s trying to cut his head off!” a person can be heard shouting in the video.
The man was arrested on attempted murder charges, but authorities have yet to release his name. The victim, identified as a man in his 40s, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Police first identified the attacker as a man from Somalia, but later determined he was from Sudan. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said that his “understanding is the individual was given leave to remain in Northern Ireland,” according to the Belfast Telegraph.
Nigel Farage, the leader of the conservative Reform UK party, called for full transparency over the attack. Farage has been a critic of mass migration into the United Kingdom and has called for a freeze on immigration.
“What happened in Belfast last night is horrific,” he said. “The authorities must reveal the identity and status of the attacker immediately. The public are entitled to the truth.”
In the wake of the brutal stabbing, Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was scared about backlash to minorities and said the attack should not be used to fuel “dangerous narratives.”
“I also know there are many people in our community people from ethnic minority backgrounds who are terrified today about any kind of retaliation or backlash against them, which we have seen in the past,” she told the BBC.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack, but did not note the identity or origin of the suspect.
“The horrific attack in Belfast last night is sickening,” said Starmer. “I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets. My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who intervened.”
Hilary Benn, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, told people to remain “calm” while the investigation into the attack played out.
“The attack last night in Belfast was deeply shocking and all our thoughts are with the victim, who is seriously injured in hospital, and with his loved ones,” he said. “I would like to thank the individuals who showed extraordinary bravery in coming to his aid.”
Immigration has long been a controversial issue in the United Kingdom as protesters urge an end to mass immigration from third-world countries. Protesters took to the streets in Ireland two years ago after another stabbing linked to immigration.
