Man whose house was torched in Belfast riots watched in horror as late dad’s items burned

A man whose house in Belfast was destroyed during riots in Belfast on Tuesday night said he was forced to watch as his most sentimental items burnt in the fire.

Hundreds took to the streets last night after a man, named locally as Stephen Ogilvie, was allegedly stabbed in the face by a Sudanese asylum seeker.

The protests, which also occurred up and down the UK, quickly turned violent – with rioters throwing petrol bombs, setting homes alight, and burning buses to the ground.

Jamie Corry, who has lived on Lendrick Street for 13 years, said his property caught fire after cars parked on his road were targeted by far-right vandals.

He said: ‘I came out that door and I told them: “This is my property, this is my property here,’ and then they started to light the red car up.

‘So once I saw the flames starting to get bigger and bigger, I moved away from my property, I moved down the street there and watched it all.

‘The next minute the cars started to explode, the doors started smoking, the windows started melting, and the next thing the house was going to go up in fire.’

Items belonging to his late father were destroyed in the blaze, which covered his home ‘top to bottom’.

He said: ‘I don’t know where to start. I’m just glad my family, my kids, were around at my missus’ house at the time.’

Police and politicians have called for calm as more social media posts planning further protests circulate this morning.

Members of the community worked late into the night to make sure families were safe as police went door-to-door ordering people to evacuate.

Israel Eguaogie, who has lived in the city since 2008, told Metro: ‘I didn’t commit the crime. My child didn’t commit the crime. We should not be trapped indoors, afraid for our safety.’

Mr Eguaogie, community coordinator for Belfast City of Sanctuary, said he has not slept at all as he worked to make sure people were safe.

He said: ‘Families have been trapped in their homes, and children and parents are terrified.

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‘People are sick with anxiety. People are traumatised. Children are seeing these images on TikTok, and it’s horrifying. Everybody is staying indoors.’

In the past two years, each June, Belfast has seen an increase in racially motivated riots – something Mr Eguogie fears will only get worse.

He added: ‘Legitimate fear is not what we’re talking about when families are being forced from their homes or burned out of them. That is real fear.’

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