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Hadi Alodid: The Sudanese man behind Belfast knife attack that triggered anti-immigrant protests

Hadi Alodid, a Sudanese man, has been charged with attempted murder after a knife attack in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The accused made his way from Sudan to Paris before flying to Dublin; he then travelled by bus to Belfast on February 10, 2023 and sought asylum

Hadi Alodid is a Sudanese national who entered Northern Ireland in 2023. AP

FP Explainers|Jun 11, 2026, 12:19:30 IST

A knife attack by a Sudanese man in Belfast, Northern Ireland, triggered a wave of anti-immigration unrest in the country. Hadi Alodid, 30, was charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie, the victim, on Wednesday (June 10).

He was further charged with possessing a knife in a public place, Kinnaird Avenue, on the same day. Alodid appeared in court via video at Belfast Magistrates’ Court. After his court appearance, he was held in jail.

Prosecutors said Alodi, a Sudanese national, was accused of blinding Ogilvy in his left eye during an attack on Monday (June 8). He was also accused of threatening to kill a radiographer on the same day and of carrying a knife.

Who is Hadi Alodid?

Alodid is a Sudanese national who entered Northern Ireland in 2023. He applied for asylum and was granted leave to remain until 2028, according to a statement from a Home Office spokesperson to Newsweek.

“Leave to remain” refers to official permission issued by the UK government that allows a non-UK citizen to reside in the country for a set period.

“He entered the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status the same year. The individual claims to have entered the UK via the Common Travel Area,” the spokesperson said.

At a press conference on Tuesday (June 9), Ryan Henderson, assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said that according to police, the suspect lived near the area where the attack took place.

He said Alodid, the suspect, is said to have entered Northern Ireland from the neighbouring Republic of Ireland in 2023.

“My understanding is that the individual came into Northern Ireland from Dublin, moving up and then was granted leave to remain,” he said, the report noted.

According to a BBC report, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher asserted that the suspect had made his way from Sudan to Paris before flying to Dublin, and then travelled by bus to Belfast on 10 February 2023 - the date on which Alodid claimed asylum.

"There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was not known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland," he told reporters.

How did the attack unfold?

The sequence of events began late on Monday evening (June 8) in north Belfast when Ogilvy was attacked with a knife in an incident that police later described as particularly severe.

Video recordings of the assault quickly spread across social media platforms and messaging groups, drawing widespread attention across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Ogilvy, according to investigators, was severely injured. Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson stated that the man sustained serious damage to his eyes as well as slash wounds to his face and back.

"We are completely devastated by the horrific attack on our loved one on Kinnaird Avenue. This has been a massive shock to our whole family, and right now, our only priority is being at his bedside and helping him recover," Ogilvy's family said.

With inputs from agencies