Families across Belfast are counting the devastating cost of a night of violence that left homes damaged, residents displaced and entire communities shaken.

Among those caught up in the chaos was one family with a two-month-old baby, forced to flee as fires tore through residential streets following disorder that erupted after Monday night's knife attack.

For some residents, the destruction was total.

Jamie Corrie stood outside the charred remains of the east Belfast home where he had lived for 13 years and described the heartbreak of watching everything he owned disappear in flames.

His house on Lendrick Street was destroyed after a car belonging to "foreign nationals" living next door was set alight, he said.

By the time firefighters arrived, Corrie said the blaze had already taken hold.

"I told them before they were lighting the car, I said 'this is my property'," he recalled.

"See standing there watching your house get burnt… that's a feeling I'll never get over."

The emotional toll was written across the street as residents surveyed the wreckage left behind.

Corrie said he was "gutted" and struggled to come to terms with losing possessions built up over more than a decade.

"There's stuff in there that's sentimental, can't be replaced, that you'll not get again," he said.

Despite his anger over the original attack that sparked tensions, he questioned the violence that followed.

"What does this resolve? What does this actually do? Burning cars out, wrecking your own community and now one of their own has just lost their home."

Thankfully, he said, his children were not inside the property when the fire broke out.

Nearby, 19-year-old Yura, part of a Ukrainian family living on the same street, described a terrifying escape as flames spread through the area. "My neighbour's house was set on fire," she said.

"So, my front door caught the fire a bit. It had to be kicked out to stop the fire because it was about to go in the house."

Yura said she fled through the back door with her dog while trying to help rescue a neighbour's trapped pet. "I was with my dog at the house, so I had to escape through the back door," she said.

"My neighbour's dog was trapped in the house so we were also trying to break into their house to get the dog."

She eventually found refuge with nearby friends who gave her a place to stay for the night.

Elsewhere, residents spoke of fear and uncertainty as violence spread across affected neighbourhoods. Anselme Shima, who has lived in east Belfast for 13 years, said he was horrified by what unfolded.

"I didn't know what I can do to protect my children," he said.

The unrest has also sparked concerns among healthcare workers from overseas communities.

Biji Jose, a senior nurse and member of the Northern Ireland Indian Nurses Forum, said colleagues were increasingly worried about their safety.

Having lived in Northern Ireland for 23 years, she warned that some healthcare staff could consider leaving.

"At the minute, I can see very anxious faces and too much worry about their families, children, future jobs, insecurity about walking around the street freely like before," she said. Jose stressed that international healthcare workers were helping address workforce shortages and reduce waiting lists.

Another resident originally from India said the violence had convinced him to leave Northern Ireland altogether.

"We're leaving right now," he told BBC News NI. The man, who did not wish to be named, described the disorder as terrifying.

"It was horrible. It was like a war zone."

"Everything was burning," he said, adding that people remained inside their homes because they were too frightened to go outside.

Businesses were also caught up in the unrest. Ozer Soy-Suren, co-owner of a Turkish barber shop targeted during disorder in Ballyclare, County Antrim, said staff spent Wednesday cleaning up the damage.

The business has operated for 20 years and had closed early because workers were aware protests were planned.

Despite the attack, Soy-Suren said local people had rallied around the shop and offered support. Community leaders also voiced alarm.

Pastor Jack McKee said some of those affected were members of his church who had lived locally for decades.

"They're good Christian people and they're getting put out just because they're black," he said.

Rev Brian Anderson described scenes in east Belfast as a "community out of control".

He compared the attacks to events he witnessed during his childhood when Catholic families were forced from their homes.

"The same thing was happening to people here," he said.

"40 years later, people just living, wanting to contribute to our society... because they were different, being burnt of their houses and being removed." "It was a chilling echo to the past."

The disorder followed the knife attack that triggered both peaceful protests and violent unrest.

Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old originally from Sudan, appeared in court charged with attempted murder over the attack, which left the victim with serious injuries including the loss of an eye.

Meanwhile, the family of victim Stephen Ogilvie issued a plea for calm, urging people to embrace "peaceful protest as the only way forward".

As communities begin clearing debris and assessing the damage, many residents now face the difficult task of rebuilding their homes, businesses and sense of security after a night that left lasting scars.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cevl9j9y8dmo

Interesting that the BBC is dedicating so much time and coverage to the reaction.

The contrast is striking re. how they tried to downplay the original incident with their usual "man stabs man" narrative.

49 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Interesting that the BBC is dedicating so much time and coverage to the reaction.

The contrast is striking re. how they tried to downplay the original incident with their usual "man stabs man" narrative.

Come on, the horrific crime has hardly been downplayed! As with any crime where the perpetrator has been arrested, news organisations need to be careful about reporting the details. Just because social media, especially the disgraceful X, have no such cares and don't care about prejudicing a trial, it doesn't been more professional media should do so as well.

And, to play you at your own game, why aren't Reform/Restore and Yaxley-Lennon dedicating as much time and coverage to the reaction as they did immediately after the crime. Perhaps because they incited it? 🫢

Edited June 11Jun 11 by brewsterbudgen

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Come on, the horrific crime has hardly been downplayed!

It was until it went viral on X. "Man stabbed in belfast" was the line while they hoped something else would hog the headlines before it all came out.

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

As with any crime where the perpetrator has been arrested, news organisations need to be careful about reporting the details. Just because social media, especially the disgraceful X, have no such cares and don't care about prejudicing a trial.

Except when the perp was white. Like the guy in the car in Liverpool they had his name age nationality and most importantly ethnicity released within hours. Weird huh.

Diversity is our destruction, not anyones strength

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Interesting that the BBC is dedicating so much time and coverage to the reaction.

The contrast is striking re. how they tried to downplay the original incident with their usual "man stabs man" narrative.

This article addresses the consequences of the riot on the local community.

Not the reaction Jonny, the consequences of a riot.

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

It was until it went viral on X. "Man stabbed in belfast" was the line while they hoped something else would hog the headlines before it all came out.

Except when the perp was white. Like the guy in the car in Liverpool they had his name age nationality and most importantly ethnicity released within hours. Weird huh.

Jonny has just discovered social media posts spread faster than mainstream media can compile, edit and publish news.

It is of course all a conspiracy.

Looks like it's starting to kick off again , had a scary moment in Belfast one night at the height

of the troubles, at the time I lived in Kilkenny Ireland ,and was driving fast through Belfast to

get the ferry at Larne to go to my other home in Newcastle, it was 2-3 in the morning ,the roads

where very quiet ,and an army landrover pulled up in front of me, and another 2 came to the rear,

the soldiers came out guns pointing at me,

I explained why I was driving fast to get to the ferry, they must have seen my vehicle had UK plates,

and they were OK, just told me to slow down , scary moment I will never forget.

regards worgeordie

5 hours ago, bannork said:

I'll never get over it': Belfast homes burned

Yeah, I see people blaming the far right, these people are just doing what people do when they are fed up, fed up with the system.

The Wokes and lefties allowing these barbarians in the country won't take responsibility

Is it too late to get back into the Balaclava business?

You lot are not welcome..go home!!!...can we not be any clearer..

4 minutes ago, baansgr said:

You lot are not welcome..go home!!!...can we not be any clearer..

"You lot"? You mean the rioters? Aren't they burning up their own homes?

Seems appropriate

43 minutes ago, baansgr said:

You lot are not welcome..go home!!!...can we not be any clearer..

The ‘Proddies’ never got that message, maybe your hopes for the effects violence are misplaced.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

This article addresses the consequences of the riot on the local community.

Not the reaction Jonny, the consequences of a riot.

Their reaction.

The BBC's reaction.

Their reaction to the attempted beheading was minimal by comparison. "Man stabs man" buried on some sub page.

Multiple pages on the riots.

Understand now?

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Jonny has just discovered social media posts spread faster than mainstream media can compile, edit and publish news.

It is of course all a conspiracy.

I think you may have unwittingly discovered why Starmer wants to ban X 😀

Perhaps some good has come of all this after all. Higgot finally worked it out. Eureka.

Thank goodness for X otherwise this savagery would have been buried by the msm.

Thanks Elon.

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

Their reaction.

The BBC's reaction.

Their reaction to the attempted beheading was minimal by comparison. "Man stabs man" buried on some sub page.

Multiple pages on the riots.

Understand now?

I understood when I read the the article of this thread.

It might not feed your need for grievance, so yes I understand your attempts to wander off into

the long grass looking for something that does.

Edited June 11Jun 11 by Chomper Higgot

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I understood when I read the the article of this thread.

It might not feed your need for grievance, so yes I understand your attempts to wander off into the long grass looking for something that dies.

Why would I look for a dead thing in grass?

What on earth are you jabbering on about now?

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I think you may have unwittingly discovered why Starmer wants to ban X 😀

Perhaps some good has come of all this after all. Higgot finally worked it out. Eureka.

Thank goodness for X otherwise this savagery would have been buried by the msm.

Thanks Elon.

I can’t answer for what you imagine.

Nor will I try.

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I can’t answer for what you imagine.

Nor will I try.

In fairness you can't really answer anything.

You just trot out the same copy/paste phrases.

"Youre imagining it" "grievance stroking" "there is no 2 tier system" etc.

It's not working Higgot. You're fooling no-one.

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Jonny has just discovered social media posts spread faster than mainstream media can compile, edit and publish news.

It is of course all a conspiracy.

The BBC are still calling it a knife attack as of a few hours ago

"over a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday that caused serious injuries to the victim, Stephen Ogilvie."

Water cannon fired in latest disorder after Belfast knife attack

Belfast attack: Water cannon fired in latest disorder aft...

Riot police came under sustained attack from a group throwing bricks, bottles and pieces of wood at a major roundabout to the north-west of Belfast.

20 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The ‘Proddies’ never got that message, maybe your hopes for the effects violence are misplaced.

Looks like the Unionists and the Republicans are putting their differences aside and uniting to fight the common enemy .

A United Ireland at last

3 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

The BBC are still calling it a knife attack as of a few hours ago

"over a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday that caused serious injuries to the victim, Stephen Ogilvie."

Water cannon fired in latest disorder after Belfast knife attack

Belfast attack: Water cannon fired in latest disorder aft...

Riot police came under sustained attack from a group throwing bricks, bottles and pieces of wood at a major roundabout to the north-west of Belfast.

But was a knife attack.

The attacker used a kitchen knife to attack his victim

Hence ‘knife attack’.

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

But was a knife attack.

The attacker used a kitchen knife to attack his victim

Hence ‘knife attack’.

He is being charged with attempted murder .

BBC says "knife attack "

Law says Attempted murder

17 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Looks like the Unionists and the Republicans are putting their differences aside and uniting to fight the common enemy .

A United Ireland at last

I very much doubt that is true.

12 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

He is being charged with attempted murder .

BBC says "knife attack "

Law says Attempted murder

Yes it was also attempted murder by knife attack.

Here’s the police notification:

https://www.psni.police.uk/latest-news/detectives-charge-man-court-following-north-belfast-knife-attack

Edited June 11Jun 11 by Chomper Higgot

2 hours ago, visalady said:

Diversity is our destruction, not anyones strength

Keep talking. Anutin just pulled up a chair.

The good folks of Ireland have had enough of the invasion of their once great country and are only trying to Make Ireland Great Again.

Looks like Irelands love affair with Palestine is over

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

But was a knife attack.

The attacker used a kitchen knife to attack his victim

Hence ‘knife attack’.

That's a bit like calling the Christchurch massacre in 2019 "an incident involving firearms in a mosque".

Technically true but deliberately downplaying the severity.

Not like you to be disingenuous Higgot...