Debate contribution: Serious Stabbing in North Belfast

Debate contribution by Ms Kate Nicholl on 9 June 2026.

MLA: Ms Kate Nicholl
Party at the time: Alliance Party
Date: 9 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Matter of the Day
Heading: Serious Stabbing in North Belfast
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5601420

Text

I had not intended to speak, but, following the interventions from Jonathan Buckley and Timothy Gaston, I feel compelled to. What happened last night should never have happened. It was the most brutal, depraved and horrendous attack. I watched the video as well. I wish that I had not, and I wish that no one sees it. It was awful. It was horrific. We have to condemn the attack, and we have to ensure that everyone feels safe. Yes, people will be frightened right now, and I acknowledge that. Right now, our job as leaders is to come together and ensure that there is calm. I thank everyone who has contributed to the debate with such dignity and responsibility, because we are dealing with a highly emotive topic. I have different views from other people on so many of these issues because I have worked with people who have come here from other countries. I know that small children are not a threat. They have come here just to make a new life. I do not want to get into that discussion now. On another day, let us have a grown-up, respectful conversation about how we manage migration, how we ensure that support is in place, how we ensure that there is integration and how we manage our services. Today, however, is about something awful that happened in our society: something that should never have happened. Everyone is reeling from it. What happened was wrong. We need to come together. This is a test of our leadership, and it is about how we go forward. This is not just about Northern Ireland, because we are being watched from everywhere else. It is on the news in Britain. Actors across the world are watching how we react. This is a place that overcame the insurmountable. This is a place that is a testament to politicians coming together to work through difficult issues to ensure peace and safety for all. That is the situation that we are in right now. There has been a sea change. We are in a volatile place right now, and I am worried for everyone in our communities. I want us to have a society in which everyone is safe and protected. The narrative today is about calm. It is about making sure that the police have the space, access and information that they need and that communities — people in their homes right now — are not frightened that there will be retaliation. Communities have seen what is happening in their streets and are worried that it may happen to one of them. I acknowledge that there are real concerns and that they are not far-right. What happened last night was terrifying. We can show leadership now by coming together and seeing how we can get through this peacefully. We must not agitate. We must not stir things up. It is dangerous to talk about anger. It is dangerous to —.
That is not for today, Timothy. Let us have that conversation on another day. Today is about coming together —
The issue —.
Let us have that discussion later, not now. Right now —.
Today. Later today, but not right now. Today is about —.
Mr Speaker —.
We need to be better than this. People are watching us to see that we are. I thank everyone else who has shown leadership, and I hope that others are able to provide it in the days ahead.

581 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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