Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

Stormont is not always associated with cool heads.

But I think there was a real determination this afternoon to try and grip this.

We started the day here with an urgent debate being called in the assembly where we saw MLAs of every political shade condemning what happened last night.

We then had a joint statement from all the leaders of the largest parties urging calm.

It ended with a joint press conference after 16:00 GMT and the timing of that was no coincidence, it really was an attempt to try and show unity between those within the executive, alongside the police force and the policing board.

Jahswill Emmanuel, the founder of Multi-Ethnic Sports and Cultures Northern Ireland, says he's "saddened by the situation and [his] prayers and thoughts are with the victim and his loved ones".

"We are still here to contribute positively and to make Northern Ireland a safe and welcoming place.

"There is no harm in peaceful protest at all, but look at the incidents in Ballymena and in Sandy Row, where houses and businesses were burnt. It's not going to do us any good."

Speaking to Evening Extra he says he wants to reassure the community that "we are right here beside the family of the victim".

"Anybody would be angry with this incident. But this is our community. My son and daughter were born here, we have no other place to go. So now we have to work together, alongside the police."

"We are still one as a community. Don't let one person divide us."

Image source, Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland is asking the public to "let the PSNI do its job with all the resources it can utilise".

A statement from Liam Kelly says: "There is understandable anger and frustration in the community, but that shouldn’t lead to any unrest or disruptive action on our streets.

“This is a time for calm and cool heads to prevail and not sudden, reactive action that could cause fear, disorder and unrest.

“This was a shocking and barbaric attack and my thoughts are with the victim."

Image source, Aodhán Roberts

A local resident, who did not wish to be named, and who alerted police to the attack told the BBC she was "standing in the street shaking" while making the call.

She said she was in her home with her partner and children when they heard screaming outside.

She said a delivery driver handed his phone to her so she could talk to 999. I said: "You just need to get here, he's gonna die".

The woman said she had "never seen anything like it".

In the wake of the attack, she said she is "fearful" to walk to her local shop alone, and is "absolutely petrified" to allow her children to play in the street.

Reacting to that Stormont press conference is Lilian Seenoi-Barr, the former SDLP mayor of Derry City and Strabane who says she is representing the "collective black community" in Northern Ireland.

She firstly sends thoughts and prayers to the victim and his family.

"We are horrified like everybody else in this community," she adds.

"Violence is not acceptable."

She says that messaging online calling for protests has left those in the communities "afraid" but they are reassured that they live in a community unified by "one voice".

"We have seen this happen before."

We've just heard an update from political leaders and the police, let's recap what they said.

• Each of the speakers paid tribute to the victim and the impact on the community. First Minister Michelle O'Neill said attack was "horrific and shocking" and had left people "angry and deeply distressed"
• There was also praise from all the speakers for the actions of the members of the public who intervened, with PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher saying he had no doubt they had saved the victim's life

• Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the scenes in Belfast last night were "brutal, disgusting and horrific" and people deserve to feel safe
• But Justice Minister Naomi Long warned that there will be those who wish to "weaponise fear and suffering" and implored people to not get involved in protests that have been called for on social media
• A call for "calm heads" was reiterated by Northern Ireland Policing Board Chair Brendan Mullan who said protests would only divert police resources from people in need of help
• We heard more details about how the suspect arrived in Northern Ireland, with the PSNI understanding that he made his way from Sudan to Paris, before flying to Dublin and then claiming asylum in Northern Ireland in 2023
• Chief Constable Jon Boutcher called for people to let justice take its course and said there would be an increased police presence in the coming days

Image source, PA Media

We've just heard some details of the suspect's journey to Northern Ireland from the chief constable.

Now the Home Office has confirmed that the man arrested is a Sudanese national with leave to remain in the UK until 2028.

In a statement they said he entered the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status the same year. It adds that the individual claims to have entered the UK via the Common Travel Area.

Image source, PA Media

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher asks the public to remember that police officers are members of all communities too.

"We are all in this together and we must not let other people in any way provoke any activity we don't want.

"Today is about making sure people understand the consequences if they commit criminal acts, and understand the need to sit down together, work together, be together and make this a better place.

"Do not give the man in the video any more infamy. Let's all behave ourselves, and think of the family of the victim, and the victim himself."

With that, questions are finished and the news conference comes to a close.

Michelle O'Neill says people in Northern Ireland are "good people" and she does not want to see anybody "living in fear".

"We need to say no to racism, no to hated, no to sectarianism that is out there in our society," she adds.

"What happened last night was horrific, people need to separate those things out."

She also accuses one reporter of asking a "totally inappropriate question" and "fake news" to a question about open borders.

O'Neill adds that she does not know "any country that has open borders".

"I believe in an immigration system that is fair and managed and enforceable and compassionate and human rights-compliant, but that is not the debate for today."

Instead, she says ministers' thoughts today were with the victim of the knife attack and on keeping the situation calm.

Naomi Long says "clearly this is an incident where one individual is responsible" and there are "many dangerous individuals in Northern Ireland who were born here".

She adds, referencing her childhood during the Troubles, that when she was growing up, her accent could have pointed her out as a "potential threat". She says she was "often abused for that".

Long says the suspect is "not representative of a whole community, he is an individual who should be held to account before the law".

She says unrest will harm "innocent people".

Long adds that she accepts people will feel "fearful" but says she wants to protect "everyone in our community from further harm".

Image source, PA Media

Emma Little-Pengelly says people want to talk about their concerns about immigration and vetting, and feel they aren't being listened to. She says people are "frustrated" that their "genuinely held concerns" aren't taken seriously.

But she says it is an "entirely separate debate" from people who come to Northern Ireland and are a "really genuinely valued part of our community".

"I speak to businesses who would be completely lost without those hard-working people.

"Our ethnic minority community also make such a valued contribution to our community and cultural life.

"Regardless of your race and nationality, you should feel safe."

"My message to our ethnic minority community is very clear - you are valued, you are part of Northern Ireland, and we will do everything we can to protect you."

Boutcher says the police have the resources to deal with this and "have already made contingencies in getting support from elsewhere".

“I’m hoping that sanity will prevail," he adds.

“Nobody wants to see anything other than tranquillity. Northern Ireland is one of the safest places to live in the UK.

"Let's remember that and show that. Let's remember the community spirit here that was demonstrated by neighbours of the poor victim."

The chief constable is asked how worried he is about a "summer of discontent".

He says people who contribute positively to life in Northern Ireland were attacked in 2024 and 2025.

He says there's a person in custody and that people should let the criminal justice system take its course.

He adds that the challenge is the toxic nature of commentary online.

"They are incited by people who are faceless," he says, adding that the actions of those who intervened "defined life in Northern Ireland".

"All of our communities in Northern Ireland contribute positively to this place and do not be fooled or duped into a trap by people online."

Justice Minister Naomi Long says protecting everyone from harm requires people to "come together and unite, to create a safe space that everyone can flourish in".

She adds that she doesn't want to see the common travel area - which incorporates the UK and Ireland - "exploited for ill purposes".

Long also says it's important to "not demonise any particular community".

"There are many people who I have spoken to today who are fearful."

Image source, PA Meida

The chief constable tells reporters that "lawyers will debate the legal status" of the suspect for "weeks, months and maybe even years to come".

But he adds: "There was nothing to prevent that individual from coming into this country and he sought leave to remain through his asylum application.

"His status when he crossed that border is still undetermined by us, but it's something that we'll be looking at and will come out in fullness of time."

Emma Little-Pengelly continues on the theme of the suspect's immigration status.

She says was on a UK-wide call last Wednesday on immigration and raised the issue of people "coming across the Irish border to claim asylum" in Northern Ireland.

Little-Pengelly says she raised the issue to the UK immigration minister as a concern and asked for action.

She says she also raised the issue of people who come to the UK and "subsequently commit offences".

She also says the UK must be able to "deport those individuals much more swiftly".

Little-Pengelly adds that calm is needed and that "disorder only serves to wreck our own communities".

She says communities must know they are being listened to and said the UK government and NI Assembly must take action.

Emma Little-Pengelly adds that she welcomes that the PSNI have communicated the details on the suspect.

She calls for the "maximum amount of information" to be provided to people.

Little-Pengelly adds that the suspect travelled through a "number of other safe countries" before coming to Northern Ireland.

A little earlier, the chief constable said it was unconfirmed but police had been informed the suspect had travelled from Sudan to Paris, before flying to Dublin and travelling onwards to Belfast.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill, answering questions now, says her message today is one of calm.

"Don't let other people, who don't care about here, incite hatred and fear.

"Don't allow people who are faceless to orchestrate campaigns on the street."

Image source, PA Media

Boutcher says that in August 2024, and June 2025, there were disturbances in Northern Ireland that "benefitted no-one".

He says they resulted in damage "to our own communities" and the "criminalising of our own young people".

"Do not let people who know nothing about Northern Ireland impact on the behaviours of our people in Northern Ireland from afar through social media," he adds.

Boutcher appealed for the public not to let the incident lead to more violence.

“Let us do our job, act responsibly, do not let anybody be subject to any further criminal investigation.

"Let the criminal justice course take its course."

He adds that the PSNI is engaging with communities "to provide reassurance and support".

He says there will be an increased police presence across Northern Ireland this evening and in the coming days "to keep everyone safe".