The Northern Ireland Assembly met to debate the disorder that swept across the region over the past week, triggered by a knife attack in north Belfast in which the suspect is a Sudanese refugee. Speaker Edwin Poots opened the session by reminding members that on a number of occasions the previous week, MLAs had failed to show good temper, moderation and respect, and he expected those standards to be observed.

Disorder broke out after the serious assault, with a family in an apartment block in the Sandy Row area of south Belfast subjected to an arson attack. Matthew O'Toole of the SDLP told the chamber he had to drive children to safety after that incident. He said businesses were forced to close, workers lost wages and schools shut, in part because of AI-generated graphics spreading online.

Gerry Carroll of People Before Profit said at least 200 families were burnt out or forced to flee because of the violence. He pointed to a large anti-racism rally in Belfast on Saturday, claiming 20,000 people attended. Northern Ireland does not have an immigration problem, he said, but a racism problem.

DUP members condemned the violence but also stressed the right to peaceful protest. Philip Brett said thousands in north Belfast held democratic protests after what he described as a serious attack on one of his constituents. He said peaceful protest is a cornerstone of democracy and participants should not be smeared as far-right or racist. Jonathan Buckley argued that no political leader caused the street violence, but rather the attack itself. He accused Sinn Fein of promoting immigration policies that welcome non-British people while opposing the presence of British people, and said the political establishment was out of touch.

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said his party has always opposed violence, and criticised Sinn Fein for its historical stance. He demanded that the justice minister disclose how many illegal immigrants have entered Northern Ireland via the route taken by the knife attack suspect, and the total number living in the region, questioning whether she knows or cares.

Alliance's Kate Nicholl responded that blaming the justice minister for migration matters was misleading and amounted to political point-scoring, as the justice minister has no role in managing migration.

UUP leader Jon Burrows criticised Gerry Carroll for opposing police use of baton rounds, tasers and CS spray while also complaining about police inaction during riots. He also attacked proposals to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, arguing that change would mean it is not an offence to burn a migrant out of their home if the offender is aged 13.

Sinn Fein's Cathy Mason criticised the Communities Minister for not speaking out on those forced from their homes, and said the events of the past week were abhorrent.