The family of Stephen Ogilvie has reported that his condition is improving following a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday. They said he could be brought out of an induced coma within the next 48 hours.

Mr Ogilvie lost his left eye and sustained deep cuts to his head, face and back in the assault. Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese national, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder.

The stabbing was followed by two nights of disorder across parts of Northern Ireland. On Tuesday, mobs set fire to homes, a bus and cars in Belfast, with some people targeted because of their race. On Wednesday, 12 police officers were injured and 16 arrests were made in further unrest. Two people have since been charged. Water cannons were deployed in County Antrim after officers were pelted with bricks and a Department for Infrastructure vehicle was set alight.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn condemned reports that people had been stopped in their cars and asked about their nationality. He said the PSNI chief constable had told him officers were working to identify those involved so they could be brought to justice.

The PSNI announced it would have additional officers on the streets on Thursday evening, including personnel drafted in from Great Britain. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the justice system was ready to hand down long sentences to those causing disorder. He also confirmed that patrols were being increased around healthcare facilities after a nurse was chased and intimidated on her way to work at the Ulster Hospital.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he met Mr Ogilvie's parents on Thursday. They told him they did not want what happened to their son to be used as a pretext for intimidation or division. The family appealed for an end to what they called misinformation and falsehoods circulating online.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill said bad actors were orchestrating hate and fear on the internet, while Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson called for consequences for those who fan division online for their own ends.

UUP leader Jon Burrows described those who target healthcare staff as traitors and said police should arrest, charge and seek exemplary prison sentences for anyone found guilty of such intimidation.

The attack has prompted questions about cross-border movement and the Common Travel Area. Alodid had arrived in Dublin by air from Paris and travelled by bus into Northern Ireland in February 2023, claiming asylum on arrival. He was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028. Mr Benn, Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan and Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long held telephone discussions on preventing abuse of the Common Travel Area. Mr Benn said additional immigration checks were being conducted at ports, airports and on bus and rail routes to identify people in Northern Ireland who may be in breach of immigration rules.

SDLP leader Claire Hanna cautioned against using the incident to call for a hard border on the island, arguing such a step would be neither practical nor a solution to the recent violence.

The PSNI has also released images of individuals connected with Tuesday night's disorder and is asking the public to help identify them.