THE family of the man who suffered an horrific knife attack in North Belfast on Monday have condemned the unrest that took place in the city on Tuesday evening.
Several homes were attacked in various parts of Belfast and set on fire, while cars and a Glider were also burned.
In a statement, Stephen Ogilvie’s family said: "We are completely devastated by the horrific attack on our loved one on Kinnaird Avenue.
"This has been a massive shock to our whole family, and right now, our only priority is being at his bedside and helping him recover.
"We want to say a profound thank you to the local people who bravely stepped in during the attack. Your quick actions absolutely saved his life and we will never forget what you did for him in that moment. We also want to thank the emergency services and the doctors and nurses looking after him.
"We are aware of the tensions and talk of protests following this incident. We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome, and peaceful protest is the only way forward.
"We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector and we depend on them to make our country work. We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility.
"We are asking the media and the public to please give us some space. We need privacy to focus on our family right now, without cameras or people speculating about what happened.
"If you know anything at all about the attack, or saw anything strange near Kinnaird Avenue, please go to the police."
