Northern Ireland, thousands take to the streets in Belfast against racism

A few thousand people took to the streets of Belfast to take part in a demonstration against racism after the riots in recent days in the Northern Irish capital. Protesters waved placards with slogans such as “Hate is the only threat on our streets” and “Belfast is against racism”. The city was the scene of two nights of unrest after a video of a knife attack went viral on social media. A Sudanese man appeared in court on Wednesday charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, who remains in hospital. Belfast Mayor Rois-Maire Donnelly told the crowd that a small minority could not be allowed to “spread fear and hatred”, adding that she had received death threats this week. “You are the Belfast I represent: resilient, compassionate and welcoming. Our city is stronger because of its diversity,” he said. According to estimates by AFP journalists, around 3,000 people took part in the protest.