A social enterprise with supports people who are neurodiverse have said they are "extremely disappointed" that a planned graduation had to be cancelled because of the disturbances.

The Now Group, which helps members find employment, say 313 people were due to graduate at Belfast City Hall on Wednesday, with some travelling from County Fermanagh.

Sean Hanna told BBC Evening Extra that the welfare of participants and their staff is paramount.

"Everything we stand for is around inclusivity in our communities and unfortunately today that was taken out of our control."

Image source, Sean Hanna

Hanna said this was the "highlight of the year" for their members and that it was a "big blow to participants".

As well as a financial cost, he said it also had an emotional cost.

"People join our service provision uncertain of their career path and have low self-esteem and confidence and we’ve worked together over the past year [to improve that]... there was a lot of hype."

Hate-motivated crimes relating to race are rising in NI, police data showspublished at 18:05 BST

18:05 BST

By Nicholas Barrett

Police say there has been a rise in crimes and incidents with “a race hate motivation” in Northern Ireland. In the year to March 2026, there were 2,367 incidents involving race reported to officers, according to data from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), external. That was up from 1,806 the year before.

An “incident” is any report or event coming to police attention that requires recording, regardless of whether it is ultimately classified as a crime.

Meanwhile, there were 1,507 “hate-motivated” crimes based on race in the same period - an increase of 320 from the 1,187 recorded crimes the year before.

Of these, 348 incidents recorded related to rioting in Ballymena last June, which the PSNI has described as "racist thuggery".

In contrast, there were 653 crimes related to sectarian hate and 219 crimes related to sexual orientation between April 2025 and March 2026.

Reports of racist incidents have remained elevated since last summer’s riots, with the period from June 2025 to March 2026 making up eight of the 10 highest monthly levels of race incidents on record.

The Sudanese embassy in London has condemned Monday’s knife attack as “heinous” and says its "thoughts and sympathies" are with the victim and his family.

Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old man from Sudan, appeared in court charged with attempted murder earlier today.

“We also extend our sympathies to all those affected by this tragic incident and the subsequent tensions in Belfast,” the embassy says.

The “actions of an individual must not be attributed to an entire community”, it says in a statement, adding the Sudanese community has “a long and proud record of making positive contributions to British society".

“We are confident that this isolated criminal act will not affect the longstanding friendship and strong people-to-people ties between the peoples of Sudan and the United Kingdom."

Image source, Reuters

There have been three arrests and two charges issued following disorder on the streets of Belfast yesterday evening after a knife attack in the north of the city on Monday.

A Sudanese man, Hadi Alodid, 30, has been charged with attempted murder following the attack and appeared in court this morning where he was remanded into custody.

Here's a quick recap:

What do we know about the victim?

Stephen Ogilvy, the victim in Monday night's attack, has lost his left eye while damage has also been caused to his right eye. He has injuries to his neck and back and remains in hospital.

His family has issued a public statement thanking members of the public who stepped in to intervene in the attack while also calling for the incident to not be used "to divide people or fuel hostility".

Swift condemnation of disorder from public leaders

Their plea has been echoed by a number of leaders in the public eye. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the violence was an "insult to the victim" as he urged the public to let the criminal justice system do its job.

Political leaders have made similar comments, Keir Starmer termed the disorder "unacceptable", Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O’Neill said groups partaking showed "disgusting cowardice", while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: "Taking frustration at the evil actions of a person out on those who had no part in it is utterly wrong."

More police on the streets

Additional officers have been deployed in the city throughout the day and there will be more on the streets tonight than on Tuesday evening.

Other measures have also been introduced in a bid to deter further violence - including Translink cancelling bus and rail services this evening.

Dr Satyavir Singhal, chairman of the Indian Community Centre in Belfast, says he has been advising members of the community to stay at home if they can.

The consultant doctor has been living in Northern Ireland for 26 years.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he says: “The Indian community has been in Northern Ireland since the early 1930s and we have never had a problem. I think our integration with the communities has been good.

“But the problem comes in this kind of violence because the people who are doing this violence don’t differentiate between the communities, so people are definitely worried and hope for the best.”

At least 1,600 asylum seekers living in Belfast, data showspublished at 17:09 BST

17:09 BST

By Rob England

The Sudanese man charged over Monday night’s knife attack, Hadi Alodid, previously claimed asylum in 2023, was granted refugee status the same year, and had leave to remain in the UK until 2028, according to police in Belfast and the Home Office.

Belfast hosts the largest number of asylum seekers receiving support in Northern Ireland, according to Home Office figures.

As of March 2026, 1,607 asylum seekers were receiving support in the city, which amounts to one supported asylum seeker for every 200 residents, although the total does not include people supporting themselves financially.

Adjusted for population, Belfast had the 10th highest rate of supported asylum seekers among 363 UK local authorities.

Most were living in self-catered accommodation, including houses in multiple occupation. Unlike some other parts of the UK, there were no asylum seekers being housed in hotels in Belfast as of the end of March 2026.

There are more details about what the data does and doesn't tell us about asylum seekers in Northern Ireland in our article.

Peter Coulter
BBC News NI

Image source, PA

The Grand Opera House in Belfast says another two performances of the Mean Girls UK Tour have been cancelled.

The performance last night was cancelled and now the theatre has released a statement confirming that the evening performance on Wednesday 10 June and the matinee performance on Thursday 11 June will not go ahead.

"We regret to inform that the following two performances will not ahead as scheduled," the statement said.

"While we appreciate that customers will be disappointed and apologise for any inconvenience caused, the safety and wellbeing of our customers, staff and cast is our top priority at this time.

"Further information regarding refunds has been sent to all ticket holders via email."

Faye Tozer, from the band Steps, was due to perform in the show in Belfast this week.

"Northern Ireland's public transport system will be coming to a standstill later due to expected disruption from protests," reports the BBC's Ben Londsdale.

Translink says there will be no bus departures after 5pm and no train services departing after 6pm due to expected protests.

You can find more details on the disruption in our earlier post.

Image source, PA Media

Social Democratic and Labour Party leader, and MP for South Belfast and Mid Down, Claire Hanna, has said she is "aware of lists circulating of addresses in certain parts of Belfast where minority [ethnic] people live".

Speaking to our colleagues on the news channel, Hanna references last year's riots in Ballymena and adds "we are now dealing with a very serious racism problem".

She describes being "heartbroken" hearing stories from people from last night, including of children being lifted from their beds because their homes were being attacked.

Addressing those involved last night, she says: "My message is very clearly - go home - you're contributing nothing.

"It is awful to see and it can't go on."

Chris Vallance
Senior technology reporter

In response to the continuing disturbances, Ofcom has warned social media companies that online safety legislation requires them to try and stop their platforms being misused to illegally stir up hatred and provoke violence.

In an open letter to online service providers, external, group director for online safety Oliver Griffiths said some of the civil unrest appeared to have been incited online.

The online safety watchdog was monitoring the situation, he wrote, and had contacted some platforms "where we believe there are specific risks around the presence of illegal content relating to the civil unrest".

Yesterday, Ofcom said it would beef up guidance on how social media firms should limit the spread of illegal posts during a crisis, but said: “Given the urgency of the situation, we expect you to act now".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been speaking at a press conference in Makerfield where he said he wanted to address “the barbarity of what happened in Belfast”.

“There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this man should not have been in this country. It is just as simple as that,” he said, in relation to the man who appeared in court on Wednesday charged in connection to Monday night's knife attack.

Farage said that does not justify “what was perpetrated by some bad actors last night”.

Image source, Reuters

But the majority of people who were on the streets, he said, were neither "far-right" nor "extremists" but were people who are “really scared about what's going on in their communities and about the lack of government action".

"The vast majority are fearful. The vast majority want action. They actually want something done to make their streets safer, and nothing is being proposed," the Reform UK leader said.

The chief executives of Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care Trusts have issued a joint statement saying they are deeply "concerned and appalled" at the violence.

"It is completely unacceptable that our international staff, who provide an invaluable service, should be intimidated or feel too frightened to come to work," they say.

"The current unrest is having a profound impact on all of our services, which are already under enormous strain."

They add that while the trusts are trying to operate normally, the disruption is making this "increasingly difficult".

"The safety of our patients, service users and our staff is paramount. It is imperative that everyone who works across our Health and Social Care Service... are able to provide essential care to everyone that needs it, without fear or intimidation."

The trust thanked staff for their continued dedication in really difficult circumstances.

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

A man, who is originally from India, tells BBC News NI he's decided to leave Northern Ireland after Tuesday night's violence.

He came to the UK 25 years ago and has lived in Northern Ireland for the last four years. "We're leaving right now," he says.

The man, who doesn't want to be named, says he "didn't sleep all night".

"It was horrible. It was like a war zone. Everything was burning."

He describes hiding in his home and hearing the sound of smashing glass coming from the streets outside.

"No one was coming out, people were so scared."

Brendan Hughes
BBC News NI political reporter

Image source, PA Media

There was “some anecdotal evidence of a decrease of pupil attendance” following the overnight disturbances in Northern Ireland, Stormont's education minister has said, although A-Level and GCSE exams are “continuing as normal”.

Paul Givan told the Northern Ireland Assembly’s education committee that the fall in attendance was “particularly amongst newcomer population” - those pupils for whom English or Irish is not their first language.

On scheduled exams, Givan said they were “continuing as normal today”, adding: “I have no information to suggest that there has been any disruption to those exams being able to proceed.”

Earlier the minister said a blanket closure of schools following the disorder would be "disproportionate and counterproductive".

Marianna Spring
Social media investigations correspondent

I've been investigating for the BBC's Top Comment podcast how what happened in Belfast is a part of a pattern of a violence inflamed by social media algorithms.

A post - like the video of the suspect in Belfast seriously injuring a man - sparks understandable shock. It goes viral.

The suspect is identified (correctly or incorrectly) - in this case a Sudanese man who entered the UK in 2023.

Then, anti-immigrant ideas are pushed on X by political profiles who have purchased blue ticks. Elon Musk weighs in on his profile with huge reach.

All these posts are recommended by algorithms - which run on emotions like rage. Hate online, and then offline, is directed at immigrants, many of whom have nothing to do with the incident.

This happened during the riots after the murder of three girls in Southport. It happened after allegations of a gang rape in Epsom, which turned out not to have happened. And it occurred following the murder of teenager Henry Nowak.

There are differences - from outright misidentification of suspects to real allegations of police misconduct.

But the cycle online is similar - and is partly due to the design of the sites and decisions to reward outrage, according to insiders.

A second man has been charged over the violent protests in Northern Ireland, the PSNI says.

The 42-year-old was charged with riot, attempted criminal damage and assault on a police designated person.

Earlier today a 39-year-old man was charged with riot.

The PSNI says it has set up a Public Order Enquiry Team and "all video and online footage is currently being reviewed, with further arrests and charges to follow".

A large crowd of protesters have marched through Dublin city centre to demand changes to Ireland's immigration system.

They held a rally at the General Post Office (GPO) and then marched through the centre of the city towards Leinster House - home of the Irish parliament.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports that "several hundred people" took part in the protest, external, with organisers calling for a referendum on the EU Migration Pact.

Several speakers who addressed the rally also made reference to the knife attack in Belfast on Monday night.

Part of O'Connell Street was blocked during the protest, with traffic diverted for a time but the street has since fully reopened.

Eight families have contacted the Housing Executive seeking emergency accommodation as a result of civil disturbance.

A spokesperson for the organisation says it is currently assessing the damage to Housing Executive properties across the city, adding that they're aware of attacks on other housing providers and services.

"We’ll be working with partner organisations throughout today to help provide assistance to those households requiring temporary accommodation and support," they say.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

Northern Ireland's executive ministers have held a virtual emergency meeting in the wake of Tuesday's disorder.

Ministers have been engaging collectively with Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, and the executive has said it is focused on doing what it can in this situation.

Image source, PA Media

Rita Devlin, executive director of the Royal College of Nursing says that staff have "been stopped by masked men" when travelling in and out of work.

"They have been asked to show their credentials to masked men. They have been unable to get into work."

"It's absolutely shocking that those nurses who worked and looked after that very poor patient have now been traumatised twice.

"Once after that brutal assault, and yet again trying to get into work and being stopped by masked men."

She says some of these nurses are international and they are "absolutely petrified".

She is calling for all essential workers to be allowed safe passage to work.

"We simply could not run our services without them. It's as simple as that. If all our internationally educated nurses left tomorrow, our system would grind to a halt."

Devlin says she has heard of reports of nurses being too afraid to leave their homes, adding that protests were "basically at the front door" of the hospital.