Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has condemned violent attacks on public transport and infrastructure across Northern Ireland, following a night of disorder triggered by a serious stabbing incident in north Belfast. The minister described the burning of a Glider bus, attacks on homes, and damage to roads as “totally unacceptable” amid rising tensions over immigration.
The disorder erupted on the evening of 9 June 2026, after a 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker was charged with attempted murder following a knife attack on a man in his 40s in the Kinnaird Avenue area the previous night. The victim suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back during what police described as a “brutal” assault. The incident, which is not being treated as terrorism, prompted calls for protest on social media, leading to widespread violence including the hijacking and burning of buses, attacks on police vehicles, and homes being set alight.
Minister Condemns “Despicable” Violence
In a strongly worded statement issued late on Tuesday evening, Minister Kimmins condemned both the initial attack and the subsequent disorder that targeted public infrastructure and private property.
“The attack in North Belfast last night was heinous and wrong.
“However, what we have seen this evening is to be utterly condemned. Attacking homes, burning family cars, attacking businesses, and damaging our public transport and our roads is totally unacceptable and it must be called out by all political leaders.
“Racism, intimidation and violence are wrong wherever they occur, and it is clear that this attack is being used to spread fear, hatred and division.
“Mindlessly damaging our public transport and our infrastructure achieves nothing, other than to remove vital services and resources from communities who rely on them.
“My thoughts are with the driver and passenger in the Glider that was hijacked and set alight. Thankfully, I’m told both are okay, but it must have been a very frightening experience for them.
“I commend Translink staff who were out working to deliver vital public transport links to local communities this evening before despicable action caused services to be suspended.”
Transport Network Disrupted
The violence has forced Translink to suspend bus and rail services across Belfast and beyond. A Glider bus was hijacked and set alight on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast, while other vehicles including a police car were attacked in Portadown and Cloughfern. Homes were set on fire in the Crumlin Road and Bute Park areas of the city, requiring emergency services to evacuate residents.
The disorder follows a pattern of increasing racial tensions in Northern Ireland. Police statistics published in May 2026 revealed that race hate crimes have reached their highest level since records began in 2004, with 1,507 race hate crimes and 2,367 race incidents recorded in the year to March 2026. Eight of the ten highest monthly totals for race incidents occurred between June 2025 and March 2026, influenced by previous disorder in Ballymena during the summer of 2025.
Political Leaders Appeal for Calm
The Infrastructure Minister’s condemnation follows similar appeals from other political leaders. Justice Minister Naomi Long described the disorder as “weaponising the genuine hurt, concern and anger that people are feeling for their own misguided purposes.” Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly called the initial stabbing a “savage and barbaric attack” but urged protesters to “act in an entirely peaceful way,” noting that “violence does not advance any cause, it damages it.”
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland declared a “critical incident” following the stabbing and appealed for calm, stating: “Nobody, nobody in Northern Ireland wants to see a repeat of the disorder that we have seen in recent years.”
Recurring Targeting of Transport Infrastructure
The latest violence highlights the vulnerability of public transport infrastructure during civil unrest. The hijacking of the Glider bus—part of Belfast’s rapid transit system—echoes previous incidents in 2021 and 2025 when buses were commandeered and burned during protests. Translink has previously suspended services in response to safety concerns for drivers and passengers, leaving communities without vital connections.
Campaigners have warned that minority communities in Northern Ireland are “living in perpetual fear” as hate crimes continue to rise. The latest disorder risks further polarising communities and stretching police resources at a time when the PSNI is already managing record levels of race-related incidents.
Critical Questions for Infrastructure Security
- How will the Department for Infrastructure coordinate with Translink and the PSNI to develop specific security protocols protecting drivers and passengers during periods of civil unrest?
- What emergency contingency plans exist to ensure vulnerable communities retain access to public transport when services are suspended due to violence?
- Given the record levels of race hate crimes, what cross-departmental strategies are being implemented to address the underlying tensions fuelling these attacks on infrastructure?
- How will the Executive ensure that transport staff receive adequate psychological support following traumatic incidents such as the Glider hijacking?
- What measures are being considered to prevent the exploitation of public infrastructure as soft targets during politically motivated disorder?
The Department for Infrastructure has directed media queries to their press office regarding the specific impact on transport services. Translink has advised passengers to check their service incident page for real-time updates on route suspensions and diversions as the situation develops.