Burned out cars and houses on Lendrick Street in east Belfast earlier today. Alamy
Belfast
“We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”
LAST UPDATE
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10 Jun
Diarmuid Pepper
Reporting from Belfast
THE FAMILY OF a man left seriously injured by a stabbing in Belfast on Monday night have said they are “completely devastated by the horrific attack”.
It happened on Kinnaird Avenue in north Belfast.
A 30-year-old a man has been charged with attempted murder.
The victim, Stephen Ogilvie, remains in a serious condition in hospital receiving treatment for serious eye, face and back wounds.
His family has issued a “profound thank you to the local people who bravely stepped in during the attack”.
Footage of the incident showed a member of the public intervene with a hurl in an attempt to stop the attack.
“Your quick actions absolutely saved his life, and we will never forget what you did for him in that moment,” said the family.
The family also thanked the emergency services and the doctors and nurses.
Protests yesterday evening in response to the stabbing attack turned violent in many places, with people forced to flee their homes as multiple cars and homes were set alight.
A family pictured evacuating their home on Lendrick Street after several buildings caught fire. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
A two-month-old baby was among those who had to flee their homes.
The family said they are “aware of the tensions and talk of protests following this incident”.
“We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome, and peaceful protest is the only way forward.”
UK minister Ruth Anderson told the House of Lords today that 27 people “were made homeless” last night following the rioting.
“Twenty-seven people were made homeless last night because people went door-to-door to try and target foreign nationals to burn them out of their homes,” Anderson said,“I can only imagine the terror.”
In Belfast city centre today, most shops and businesses closed early ahead of possible further protests.
Northern Ireland’s public transport service Translink also cancelled all bus and rail services this evening.
This resulted in buses being parked up in the city centre this afternoon.
Belfast city centre absolutely dead and shuttered and buses all parked up pic.twitter.com/AmDr5ZoER1
— Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) June 10, 2026
Social media posts had warned about roads being closed from 1.30pm, but this didn’t materialise.
Meanwhile, the family added that Nothern Ireland is home to “many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector and we depend on them to make our country work”.
“We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.”
A major fire pictured on Lendrick Street. PA / PA Wire
PA / PA Wire / PA Wire
The family also asked for privacy and for people to refrain from “speculating about what happened”.
The family also encouraged anyone with information to contact the PSNI.
‘Idiots’ online
The statement comes as PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher vowed that the force will “go after” people online who “incited” rioting across Northern Ireland.
Speaking at a press conference in Belfast today, Boutcher said:
“It’s very easy, these days especially, to look online and be persuaded by people who know nothing about Northern Ireland, know nothing about the history of Northern Ireland, to take actions that they otherwise would not take.
“Stop looking at this nonsense, stop listening to these idiots.
“We will be going after them for the incitement that they’ve been doing.”
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson and X owner Elon Musk are among the figures who have commented on the public disorder in Belfast.
Boutcher said he wouldn’t “talk about individuals in this press conference” but added: “People will know who were online last night and inciting this behaviour.”
He said the PSNI will be investigating this, as it did last year following riots in Ballymena.
“We prosecuted those individuals successfully, and that will happen again.”
Boutcher added that 200 extra police officers will arrive in Northern Ireland tomorrow, but that he hopes last night will have been the height of the violent disorder.
Police vehicles under attack in Belfast yesterday evening. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
He added that two PSNI officers were injured last night, one of whom was treated for smoke inhalation from a petrol bomb that was thrown nearby, and the other after being struck on the head from debris.
The PSNI chief constable also said he has not received any information to indicate that paramilitaries are orchestrating the rioting, but that he will be “open” with any information he receives.
In a statement issued this afternoon, the PSNI said there have been images circulating online with claims they show the victim, but those images are not o…
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