James McClean calls out ‘idiotic’ protests in wake of Belfast knife attack

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Footballer James McClean has spoken out after protests took place in Belfast this week.

The protest began in the wake of a knife attack. A 30-year-old Sudanese man is due to appear in court on June 10 after being charged with attempted murder following the attack in north Belfast on Monday night, the BBC reported.

In the wake of the attack, protests took place across a number of areas, including Londonderry, Antrim, Newtownabbey, Ballymena, Bangor and Belfast, some of which were peaceful but others erupted into violence, which McClean has now condemned.

James McClean condemns ‘idiotic’ protests

Writing on his Instagram story, the footballer said: “The event that took place last night is horrific and there’s no doubting this government is not fit for purpose and have failed miserably in controlling the mass influx of illegal immigrants into the country, the people have rightly had enough and have every right to protest.

“But what is not right is the manner tonight in which the protests are being done, the videos of ‘patriots’ destroying their own communities that they are ‘trying to protect’.

“Attacking innocent families in their homes, in the streets, destroying businesses and tarring everyone of a different colour or race with the same brush is out of order.

“There is wrongings in our own communities that have been born and bred here of the same religion and race as ourselves who have carried out horrific crimes in our own communities, where’s the mass protests and destruction then?

“What yous are going is not patriotic at all, it’s idiotic.”

As per the BBC, who shared information about the aforementioned knife attack, one resident in Lendrick Street spoke out about the protests, saying: “Cars were set alight on the road, which caught fire to my house but masked men were bashing down doors.”

Justice Minister Naomi Long also commented on the violent protests: “While I recognise and understand the concerns following on from the attack in north Belfast, hate cannot be allowed to win,” she said, while also stating there is no place for ‘masked thugs’ in Northern Ireland.