Buildings were set ablaze, vehicles burned, and roads blocked in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. Hundreds of anti-immigration protesters took to the streets after a knife attack on Monday attributed to a Sudanese refugee.
He is a 30-year-old man, with legal status, and not listed in the police database.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was charged Tuesday evening with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public place, and making death threats. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
The victim, a man in his forties, "was taken to hospital with significant eye injuries.
Michelle O'Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, condemned the protests and called for calm, adding that racism, intimidation, and violence are unacceptable wherever they occur.
While anti-immigration figures demanded details about the attacker, the leaders of Northern Ireland's five main political parties issued a joint statement condemning the incident.
