Thousands of people have attended an anti-racism rally in Belfast following days of unrest provoked by a knife attack.Organised by the Unite Against Racism organisation, the Together Against Hate rally took place outside Belfast City Hall.It follows days of violent demonstrations held across the city in the wake of a stabbing attack which saw Stephen Ogilvie lose his eye and suffer deep cuts to his head, face and back.Several attendees at the rally held placards reading slogans such as: “Racists go home”, and: “The problem is evil and violence, not race”.During the rally, crowds chanted “who is Belfast, we are Belfast” and “say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here”.[ How did an attack in a nationalist part of Belfast lead to rioting in loyalist areas?Opens in new window ]Among those speaking at the demonstration was leader of the Opposition SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole, who said that earlier this week, he could have “cried with anger, fear, and frustration at the hate on our streets”.“I could cry now but cry with joy at this demonstration of anti-racism, of solidarity and of opposition to hate on our streets,” he added.Elaine Crory from the Wome n’s Resource & Development Agency also delivered a speech, telling attendees: “All it takes is for one person who’s not white and local to commit a crime and that fire of racism is rekindled.”She said this will happen because “the root cause of the problem” is not being tackled, adding that the police have arrested “fewer people than were officially made homeless”.Protesters attend a demonstration against racism in central Belfast. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP On Saturday, the PSNI said that it had arrested 23 people over the disorder – 17 of whom have been charged to court.Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Belfast Róis-Máire Donnelly also spoke after saying earlier this week she had been visited by the police and warned of a threat to her life.Donnelly told the crowd that the city is “stronger” because of its diversity, adding: “The Belfast I know is resilient, compassionate and welcoming.”During the demonstration, one speaker referred to “the world’s first trillionaire Elon Musk”, which was met with boos from the crowd.Online posts from people including Musk, the boss of social media platform X, had highlighted demands for people to take to the streets in the wake of Monday’s attack.Mal O’Hara, of the Green Party, told the crowd: “When I saw the video, my first thought was with Stephen Ogilvie and his family and those who witnessed that horrific attack.“But immediately afterwards a chill went down my spine because I knew the racist and fascist manipulators would use it as an excuse to attack people, and so they did.”The demonstration on Saturday lasted for just under two hours.Thousands of people turned out for a demonstration against racism in central Belfast. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP Before it began, organisers had posted “protest safety tips” to their social media account, informing attendees to “stay calm, focused, and peaceful”.Hadi Alodid (30), appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder over Monday’s knife attack.The Sudanese national entered Northern Ireland across the Irish border by bus in February 2023, having flown to Dublin from Paris.He then claimed asylum upon arrival and was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028. – PA