A Sudanese asylum seeker faced court on Wednesday, accused of a violent stabbing incident that left a Belfast man blind in one eye, against a backdrop of growing anti-immigrant tensions across Northern Ireland.
Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared via video link at Belfast Magistrates’ Court. Prosecutors alleged he was responsible for the attack that severely injured Stephen Ogilvie’s left eye earlier in the week. Consequently, Alodid was remanded into custody.
Facing charges of attempted murder, making death threats against a radiographer, and possession of a knife, Alodid opted to forgo legal counsel, communicating through an Arabic interpreter, and did not enter a plea.
The incident took place late Monday night around 10:30 p.m. in north Belfast. The attack, captured on video and rapidly shared online, ignited public outrage and led to violent demonstrations. Authorities reported that Ogilvie, in his 40s, sustained severe injuries to his face, neck, back, and eyes. A kitchen knife, believed to be the weapon used, was found at the location.
In the aftermath, McMaster Street in east Belfast bore signs of the unrest, with burned-out cars and boarded-up homes following Tuesday night’s violence. The attack in the Kinnaird Avenue area, near the bustling Antrim Road, left the victim with significant injuries.
