Shortly after 22:30 on 8 June 2026, on Kinnaird Avenue, north Belfast, a man in his thirties described by police as being of Sudanese nationality knocked an unknown 44-year-old man to the pavement and pressed a knife to his neck. Someone recorded the scene. In the clip’s audio, a witness can be clearly heard shouting: “he’s trying to cut his head off”.
Maitiu Mág Tighearnán, known as Matt, a family man and local resident, did not call anyone or wait. He grabbed a hurling stick and charged at the attacker. Other neighbours joined in. Together they managed to pull the man away from his victim before police arrived. The injured man was admitted in serious condition with deep lacerations to his face, neck and back. The attacker was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder that same night.
The MP for North Belfast, John Finucane, said that the civilians who intervened probably saved the man’s life. A GoFundMe launched in support of Matt raised more than 30,000 dollars within hours. The following day, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Belfast; some burned vehicles. The video is still circulating.
