Innocent families today told of falling victim to last night's wave of anti-migrant violence in Belfast - as the city braces for further anarchy.
Houses, cars, a bus and a supermarket were set alight as parts of the city descended into chaos, with claims non-white residents were deliberately targeted.
A two-month-old baby was among those rescued from the rioters, while several families have been left homeless after their houses were torched.
It followed the arrest of 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker Hadi Alodid, who has been charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, who lost his left eye.
He was also charged with threats to kill an NHS radiographer while he was being treated in hospital after the attack, as well as possession of a knife.
Bus and train services were cancelled today and some schools and businesses closed early in anticipation of further violence tonight despite calls for calm.
Footage emerged showing thugs smashing the windows of a house using a bin and a plank of wood.
The independent reviewer of terror legislation has said the 'destabilising' impact of the attack shows immigration needs to be treated as a national security issue.
Jonathan Hall KC said President Trump raised legitimate concerns about the impact of migration on national security but was met with silence from the UK Government.
He told Today on BBC Radio 4: 'I'm interested in whether foreign nationality is becoming more relevant to the national security picture. It makes me think of something, which I haven't really heard a good answer to in the UK, which is what was said in Trump's national security strategy in November 2025.'
He added: 'At the moment there are people who happen to be black and brown but are as British as you or me who probably feel they can't go about their business. That is destabilising to the nation.'
Among those targeted in Belfast were an African family who have lived in the city for 20 years but had to move after their windows were smashed, and a Ukrainian teenager who was forced to flee after her family's front door caught fire.
In the east of the city, Lendrick Road was swallowed up by flames. Jamie Corry, who has lived there for 13 years, watched in horror as his house was 'completely' destroyed by thugs, alongside 'sentimental' items belonging to his late father.
'I came out that door and I told them: ''This is my property, this is my property here,'' and then they started to light the red car up,' he said.
'So once I saw the flames starting to get bigger and bigger, I moved away from my property, I moved down the street there and watched it all. The next minute the cars started to explode, the doors started smoking, the windows started melting, and the next thing the house was going to go up on fire.'
Congolese man Anselme Shima, who lives nearby with his wife, two sons and daughter, fears his family could be next to be targeted.
He said: 'It's just a terrifying moment, we don't know what to do. I'm scared. Seeing this, I'm wondering if I'm next. If this happened (again), is my house the next to be attacked? I don't know.'
Today, Mr Ogilvie's family said they were 'completely devastated' by the attack but said unrest was 'not welcome'.
Burnt-out cars and houses pictured today on Lendrick Street
A picture of Lendrick Street in east Belfast as it was engulfed in flames
Congolese man Anselme Shima, who lives nearby, feels his family could be targeted
Footage has emerged showing thugs smashing the front window of a house
A 30-year-old man described by police as a Sudanese asylum seeker granted indefinite leave to remain was charged with attempted murder and will today appear in court
Stephen Ogilvie was named locally as the victim of Monday night's attack
In a statement posted on the Facebook page of DUP MLA Phillip Brett, they said: 'We want to say a profound thank you to the local people who bravely stepped in during the attack.
'We 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.
'We have 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.'
Naomi Long, Northern Ireland's Justice Minister, said some families with young children have been left homeless after their homes were destroyed.
'It is just obscene that last night there were young children who had nothing to do with the attack in north Belfast, young families who had nothing to do with the attack in north Belfast, were left homeless, who lost everything because of what happened the night before,' she told BBC Radio Ulster.
'Yet they are completely innocent, and it's completely unacceptable, frankly, what has been done to them.'
Violence also hit the town of Portadown in County Armagh, where a Romanian-owned takeaway was looted and set alight.…
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