Belfast riots latest: Stab victim may be released from coma within 48 hours as family issue new plea to end ‘lies’

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has said “law and order will be coming” for those engaged in disorder in Northern Ireland in recent days.

He said he hoped that less disruption on Wednesday night meant “people are beginning to reflect on their actions”.

“I know from talking to the Chief Constable that he and his officers are working extremely hard to identify those who are engaged in the disorder so they can be brought to justice, because if they can find the people, then law and order will be coming for them,” he said at Stormont on Thursday.

“Because we cannot have citizens of the United Kingdom, residents of Northern Ireland, being put in fear by this kind of mindless thuggery.”

UK Health Secretary James Murray said the intimidation of nurses was “beyond unacceptable”.

“I’m so sorry to hear that that’s happened in our country,” he said.

“We need to make sure that NHS staff are protected and they can continue to do the fantastic work they do day in, day out.

“I think the nurse in that case, I heard, carried on and went to work, even despite what happened, and I think for me that shows that alongside some of the worst of our country – in the way that they were intimidated – some of the best of our country – in that that nurse went to work and continued to serve people through the NHS.”

Ministers from the UK and Irish governments and the Northern Ireland Executive have agreed to work together on stronger enforcement of the Common Travel Area (CTA) to “prevent abuse” of it in the wake of the Belfast stabbing.

Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn, Irish justice minister Jim O’Callaghan and Stormont justice minister Naomi Long spoke by phone on Wednesday.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson has said the “open porous border” with Ireland should be closed, while TUV leader Jim Allister asked for clarity on what basis suspect Hadi Alodid was admitted at Dublin Airport in 2023.

The UK government says immigration enforcement against “illegal migrants” will intensify in Northern Ireland – including intelligence-led operations along CTA routes.

Stormont deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly said there were “questions to be asked” about immigration policy across the two islands and about checks in Dublin.

Ireland’s Department of Justice said the three ministers agreed to work together to prevent abuse of the CTA.

UUP leader Jon Burrows has said people who chase and intimidate nurses are “the scum of the earth” and “traitors to our country”.

“If they think they are patriots by pursuing and intimidating the people caring for our own citizens, they are traitors to our country,” he said at Stormont.

“When the police get hold of them, they should arrest them, they should charge them, they should remand them and the judge should give them an exemplary sentence.”

Northern Ireland’s Translink says there will be no Metro, Ulsterbus or Glider services out of Belfast after 5.30pm this evening.

The last rail services will operate from Grand Central Station on or before 8.15pm, the company also said.

A reduced timetable will be in place this evening on Enterprise services, and outside Belfast, local Ulsterbus services are expected to operate largely as normal, with some adjustments.

Goldliner services will have no departures after 7.30pm.

Customers are advised to check the latest travel updates onTranslink social media channels, the Journey Planner app, and Translink’s website.

Belfast knife attack suspect Hadi Alodid was granted asylum under a fast-track application scheme because of his nationality.

The streamlined asylum process (SAP) scheme was set up when Rishi Sunak was prime minister, in an effort to cut the backlog.

The scheme – which is no longer in operation – was used to process asylum applications for adults from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Syria and Yemen without the need for a “personal interview”.

According to guidance from when SAP for adults was introduced in 2023, claimants from those countries had a grant rate of “over 95%”, meaning a less rigorous process could be followed to save caseworkers’ time.

Now, all adults must be interviewed.

The Home Office still uses another scheme with the same name to consider asylum claims from children from so-called high grant rate countries but it is understood this does not operate in the same way and face-to-face meetings or interviews are required for all applications.

Schools in Northern Ireland have been praised for keeping children safe and helping them continue to learn amid the disorder.

Richard Pengelly, chief executive of the the Education Authority, said in a letter to school leaders: “Schools provide an essential bedrock of safety, stability and resilience for our children and young people. I hope you and your staff all know how much your contribution is valued.”

He said closures across Northern Ireland would not be practical or proportionate but school leaders may need to make decisions based on the situations in their areas.