Notes on the Belfast attack and riots

Initial thoughts on a brutal crime and its aftermath

Hello! This is a roundup of my recent Substack ‘notes’, and other social media posts, related to recent events in Belfast.

If you're unaware of what's happened, in short: a Sudanese national - Hadi Alodid - has been charged after footage appeared to show him straddling a man and repeatedly slashing him in the head and neck with a kitchen knife in what has been described as an 'attempted beheading'. The victim, who is in a coma, survived, but reportedly lost his left eye, suffered damage to his right eye, and sustained injuries to his neck and back.

The attack led to protests in the city, which in some instances turned into violent, racist riots.