The Zimbabwean embassy in London, United Kingdom, has urged Zimbabweans living in or travelling to Northern Ireland to exercise heightened caution following anti-immigrant riots that have erupted across Belfast in the wake of a brutal stabbing incident.
In a public safety notice issued on 11 June 2026, the embassy advised Zimbabwean nationals to remain vigilant following recent incidents of public disorder.
It urged citizens to avoid areas where demonstrations or disturbances are taking place and to comply with instructions issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The embassy also advised Zimbabweans to remain particularly alert during the evenings, keep family members informed of their whereabouts, and closely monitor official news updates for developments.
The warning follows three nights of disorder triggered by a knife attack in north Belfast on 8 June.
Stephen Ogilvie, a 44-year-old disabled man, was attacked with a kitchen knife on Kinnaird Avenue at about 10:30 pm. He suffered major injuries to his eyes, face and back, lost his left eye and was placed in an induced coma.
Police charged Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese man with refugee status in the UK, with attempted murder, possession of a knife and threats to kill.
Within hours, far-right accounts circulated calls for protests. On 9 June, riots broke out across Belfast and quickly spread to parts of Derry, Newtownabbey, Portadown and to cities in Scotland.
Rioters set homes, businesses and vehicles alight. At least 27 people were made homeless after masked gangs went door-to-door “trying to find immigrants”. Victims included a Ugandan family of carers, a Ukrainian family and a Romani family.
The PSNI deployed water cannons on Antrim Road and used plastic bullets as crowds tore up paving stones and threw projectiles. Two police officers were injured on the first night, with a further 12 hurt the next day.
Zimbabwe has a small but growing diaspora in Belfast, many working in health and care sectors, directly affected when nurses were stopped at checkpoints by masked men on 9 June.
Related:
Zimbabwean Embassy Issues Safety Advisory As Iranian Missiles Target UAE
ZRP On High Alert During 2026 Easter, Independence Holidays