Jamie Corrie, a resident of east Belfast, has described the heartbreak of watching his home of 13 years go up in flames during violent unrest on Tuesday night. Thugs set fire to cars, buses, and houses, targeting ethnic minorities and clashing with police. Corrie's property was destroyed after a neighbor's car, belonging to foreign nationals, was set ablaze.
Watching His Home Burn
Corrie told BBC NI: 'I told them before they were lighting the car, I said this is my property. See standing there watching your house get burnt… that's a feeling I'll never get over.' He moved away from his home and watched from down the street as flames grew, cars exploded, and his house caught fire. Everything inside, including irreplaceable sentimental items, was destroyed.
Anger and Grief
Corrie expressed anger at the attacks, saying: 'What does this resolve? What does this actually do? Burning cars out, wrecking your own community and now one of their own has just lost their home.'
Other Residents Affected
Yura, a 19-year-old from Ukraine living on the same street, said her family had to flee after her neighbor's house was set on fire. Her front door caught fire and had to be kicked out to stop the flames from entering her home.
Police Prepare for More Violence
Police are braced for further disorder. Security minister Dan Jarvis called reports of ethnic minority targeting 'sickening,' and the Prime Minister described the unrest as 'shocking and completely unacceptable.' Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said 200 more officers would be on the streets Wednesday night.
Knife Attack Sparks Unrest
The violence followed a knife attack on Monday night on Kinnaird Avenue, where Stephen Ogilvie was stabbed. Hadi Alodid, 30, from Sudan, was arrested and charged with attempted murder. Ogilvie lost his left eye and suffered deep cuts. The judge refused bail due to concerns of public disorder, warning that anyone planning further disorder should 'be prepared to go to prison.'
Ogilvie's family pleaded for calm, stating: '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.'
