We've just heard some details of the suspect's journey to Northern Ireland from the chief constable.

Now the Home office has confirmed that the man arrested is a Sudanese national with leave to remain in the UK until 2028.

In a statement they said he entered the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status the same year. It adds that the individual claims to have entered the UK via the Common Travel Area.

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher asks the public to remember that police officers are members of all communities too.

"We are all in this together and we must not let other people in any way provoke any activity we don't want.

"Today is about making sure people understand the consequences if they commit criminal acts, and understand the need to sit down together, work together, be together and make this a better place.

"Do not give the man in the video any more infamy. Let's all behave ourselves, and think of the family of the victim, and the victim himself."

With that, questions are finished and the news conference comes to a close.

Michelle O'Neill says people in Northern Ireland are "good people" and she does not want to see anybody "living in fear".

"We need to say no to racism, no to hated, no to sectarianism that is out there in our society," she adds.

"What happened last night was horrific, people need to separate those things out."

Naomi Long says "clearly this is an incident where one individual is responsible" and there are "many dangerous individuals in Northern Ireland who were born here".

She adds, referencing her childhood during the Troubles, that when she was growing up, her accent could have pointed her as a "potential threat". She says she was "often abused for that".

Long says the suspect is "not representative of a whole community, he is an individual who should be held to account before the law".

She says unrest will harm "innocent people".

Long adds that she accepts people will feel "fearful" but says she wants to protect "everyone in our community from further harm".

Emma Little-Pengelly says people want to talk about their concerns about immigration and vetting, and feel they aren't being listened to. She says people are "frustrated" that their "genuinely held concerns" aren't taken seriously.

But she says it is an "entirely separate debate" from people who come to Northern Ireland and are a "really genuinely valued part of our community".

"I speak to businesses who would be completely lost without those hard-working people.

"Our ethnic minority community also make such a valued contribution to our community and cultural life.

"Regardless of your race and nationality, you should feel safe."

"My message to our ethnic minority community is very clear - you are valued, you are part of Northern Ireland, and we will do everything we can to protect you."

Boutcher says the police have the resources to deal with this and "have already made contingencies in getting support from elsewhere".

“I’m hoping that sanity will prevail," he adds.

“Nobody wants to see anything other than tranquillity. Northern Ireland is one of the safest places to live in the UK.

"Let's remember that and show that. Let's remember the community spirit here that was demonstrated by neighbours of poor victim."

The chief constable is asked how worried he is about a "summer of discontent".

He says people who contribute positively to life in Northern Ireland were attacked in 2024 and 2025.

He says there's a person is in custody and that people should let the criminal justice system take its course.

He adds that the challenge is the toxic nature of commentary online.

"They are incited by people who are faceless," he says, adding that the actions of those who intervened "defined life in Northern Ireland".

"All of our communities in Northern Ireland contribute positively to this place and do not be fooled or duped into a trap by people online."

Justice Minister Naomi Long says protecting everyone from harm requires people to "come together and unite, to create a safe space that everyone can flourish in".

She adds that she doesn't want to see the common travel area - which incorporates the UK and Ireland - "exploited for ill purposes".

Long also says it's important to "not demonise any particular community".

"There are many people who I have spoken to today who are fearful."

The chief constable tells reporters that "lawyers will debate the legal status" of the suspect for "weeks, months and maybe even years to come".

But he adds: "There was nothing to prevent that individual from coming into this country and he sought leave to remain through his asylum application.

"His status when he crossed that border is still undetermined by us, but it's something that we'll be looking at and will come out in fullness of time."

Emma Little-Pengelly continues on the theme of the suspect's immigration status.

She says was on a UK-wide call last Wednesday on immigration and raised the issue of people "coming across the Irish border to claim asylum" in Northern Ireland.

Little-Pengelly says she raised the issue to the UK immigration minister as a concern and asked for action.

She says she also raised the issue of people who come to the UK and "subsequently commit offences".

She also says the UK must be able to "deport those individuals much more swiftly".

Little-Pengelly adds that calm is needed and that "disorder only serves to wreck our own communities".

She says communities must know they are being listened to and said the UK government and NI Assembly must take action.

Emma Little-Pengelly adds that she welcomes that the PSNI have communicated the details on the suspect.

She calls for the "maximum amount of information" to be provided to people.

Little-Pengelly adds that the suspect travelled through a "number of other safe countries" before coming to Northern Ireland.

A little earlier, the chief constable said it was unconfirmed but police had been informed the suspect had travelled from Sudan to Paris, before flying to Dublin and travelling onwards to Belfast.

First Minister Michelle O'Neill, answering questions now, says her message today is one of calm.

"Don't let other people, who don't care about here, incite hatred and fear.

"Don't allow people who are faceless to orchestrate campaigns on the street."

Boutcher says that in August 2024, and June 2025, there were disturbances in Northern Ireland that "benefitted no-one".

He says they resulted in damage "to our own communities" and the "criminalising of our own young people".

"Do not let people who know nothing about Northern Ireland impact on the behaviours of our people in Northern Ireland from afar through social media," he adds.

Boutcher appealed for the public not to let the incident lead to more violence.

“Let us do our job, act responsibly, do not let anybody be subject to any further criminal investigation.

"Let the criminal justice course take its course."

He adds that the PSNI is engaging with communities "to provide reassurance and support".

He says there will be an increased police presence across Northern Ireland this evening and in the coming days "to keep everyone safe".

Boutcher says the suspect, a man in his 30s understood to be Sudanese, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder.

A kitchen knife was also found at the scene.

He remains in custody and, at this time, police are not seeking anyone else, Boutcher adds.

He also gives some more details on how the man came to be in Northern Ireland. Boutcher says he entered the country via Dublin in February 2023 and claimed asylum. He adds that police understand the Home Office granted the man leave to remain in Northern Ireland on 28 September 2023.

He also said police had been informed the man had made his way from Sudan to Paris, and then on to Dublin on dates unknown.

We are now hearing from Northern Ireland's top police officer, PSNI Chief Constable Sir Jon Boutcher.

He says his thoughts are with the victim of the attack in north Belfast and his family.

He acknowledges those members of the public who intervened and "ran towards danger", as well as PSNI officers who arrived quickly and carried out the arrest.

He says he has no doubt those members of the public who intervened saved the man's life.

Mullan adds that now "is a time for calm heads".

"This is not a time for protests," he adds, saying that those would only "divert policing resources from people in real need of police help".

He thanks people who are helping to calm tensions.

Brendan Mullan, from Northern Ireland's Policing Board, thanks the members of the public who helped to stop the attack, saying they "stepped forward to intervene and ultimately saved the victim's life".

He also thanks the police officers and ambulance staff who were the "first responders" to the incident.

The justice minister adds that communities "must allow police and the justice system to do its work".

Naomi Long also praises those who showed courage to run at their own peril to save the man and also pays tribute to the emergency services.

She appeals to communities not to let themselves be "used and abused" into criminal responses and urges people to remain calm.

"We do not want police resources and other people to be caught up in what could become a very heated situation," she adds.

She says some people will wish to take the pain, suffering and fear within communities and "weaponise it for other purposes".