Knife Attack by Asylum Seeker in Belfast Leads to Second Night of Riots and 16 Arrests

A knife attack occurred in Belfast on Monday, allegedly carried out by an asylum seeker. The individual has been charged, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn told GB News. Sixteen people were arrested and twelve police officers were injured during the second night of riots in Belfast, GB News reported.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson condemned the disorder. "I want to strongly condemn the second night of disorder seen in some areas across Northern Ireland," Henderson stated. " "It was clear from the outset that those who attended were not intent on peaceful protest," he added.

Benn was interviewed on GB News by Ellie Costello following the attack. She pressed him on what more could be done to secure the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Benn said the situation is a function of the Common Travel Area.

"For over a century, people from the United Kingdom and Ireland have been able to live and work and travel freely across the British Isles," he stated. "In the last year alone, a thousand people have been removed from Northern Ireland because they do not have the right to be here," Benn said.

He added that enforcement operations target major travel routes, airports, bus routes, train routes and ports.

"We have, since the election, removed almost 70,000 people who have no right to be in the country," he stated. Benn said the government is increasing enforcement operations across the country, including in Northern Ireland. Benn described Northern Ireland's economy as doing pretty well, with the lowest unemployment in the United Kingdom.

He said the scenes in Belfast do not represent the place, which has innovation, drive, energy and investment. "We want more people to see the advantages of coming to invest in Northern Ireland, because that is how we're going to improve lives for everybody," he said.