The latest clashes with police came hours after a Sudanese man appeared in court charged with attempted murder over Monday night's knife attack.The incident was caught on video and went viral as it ricocheted across social media platforms, triggering anger.Twelve officers were also injured in Wednesday's unrest, the UK government's Northern Ireland minister Hilary Benn told Sky News.Dozens of masked protesters clashed with riot police into the night, with rioters setting fire to a car and boarded-up property, AFP journalists saw.Projectiles, including petrol bombs and bricks, were hurled as riot police used water cannon to push back dozens of rioters trying to reach a hotel which had been used to house asylum seekers.Benn said the scale of unrest on Wednesday evening was "a lot less than the terrible events that we witnessed on Tuesday night". But he told Sky News it was "really important to convey the sense of fear that has been created, above all for those who were intimidated, burned out of their houses by masked thugs on the basis of the colour of their skin".
Masked rioters torched vehicles and buildings, forcing families to flee their homes © Paul Faith / AFP
A nurse was "chased and intimidated" as she travelled to work at Ulster Hospital near Belfast on Wednesday, the body that runs the hospital said.She "bravely insisted" on doing her shift "in stark contrast to the behaviour of the people who terrified her as she tried to do her job", it added in a statement.The biggest and main mosque in Northern Ireland also had to be shut for the first time in its history on Tuesday, chairman Mohammed Arshed said.Social mediaTwo people were charged in connection with the unrest and will appear in court later Thursday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.The justice system stood "ready to give long sentences to those bringing disorder to our streets", said Ryan Henderson, the force's assistant chief constable.UK authorities blamed far-right activists for stoking anger on social media following Monday's knife attack.Sudanese national Hadi Alodid, 30, was remanded in custody by Belfast magistrates, charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie. The case was adjourned to July 8.
