Mick Clifford: Random act of violence should not be weaponised to target immigrants

Some people felt it necessary to give their tuppence worth on social media — one might wonder what exactly their agenda was

Protesters set fire to a barricade as police block Antrim Road, at the Sandyknowes roundabout in Newtownabbey. Picture: PA

This week a lot of people got highly animated about a violent incident in the North. The reaction, in this jurisdiction and others, largely encouraged people to be angry and suggested, with precious little evidence, that the incident was indicative of this country and the neighbouring jurisdiction both going to hell in a handbasket.

On Monday evening a man was allegedly attacked by a knife-wielding assailant on a street in North Belfast. Some passersby came to his rescue. Others filmed the incident, which appears very often these days to be an instinct that supersedes rushing to help.