'Violence should not lead to further violence,' says Bridget Phillipson as she urges 'calm' following Belfast 'attempted beheading'
A man is in a serious condition after the knife attack in north Belfast, which Phillipson has described as "utterly sickening and horrifying"
Bridget Phillipson has condemned the “utterly sickening and horrifying” attack in Belfast, but has urged the public to remain “calm” and allow police to investigate.
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The Education Secretary told LBC’s Tonight with Andrew Marr that she believed the “worst possible response” to the shocking knife attack in Belfast would be “further violence or disorder”.
A man believed to be Sudanese was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was attacked in north Belfast, police have said.
Phillipson told Andrew: “The scenes that we've seen are utterly sickening and horrifying."
She went on: "There's no place for that kind of violence on our streets, and my thoughts are with the victim, but also with the first responders, with the members of the public who intervened to do all that they could to help."
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The Education Secretary praised the police and members of the public who intervened in the incident and urged for a “period of calm” in its aftermath.
“I appreciate that people are horrified by what they've seen, but the worst possible response to that kind of violence will be further violence or disorder,” she said.
Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Conservative Party, said she was "absolutely horrified" by the attack and raised concerns around the government’s immigration policy.
"I think a lot of people will start wondering yet again, is this someone who should not have been in our country? Have there been failings around our borders?” She said.
The Conservative Party Leader urged the police to bring the facts out “as quickly as possible so that we can get some clarity".
Phillipson hit back at the criticism, accusing the opposition of “desperately chasing Reform” on the topic of migration.
She added that Badenoch was responsible for this policy area and “didn't actually do the things she's now advocating for when she had the opportunity in government”.