'It's the new Troubles!' Donald Trump allies slam Keir Starmer for Belfast riots as Labour blamed for 'hitting residents' tripwires'

Steve Bannon, a longstanding confidant of the US president, described the moment as a "tripwire" for British politics.

Speaking on his War Room programme, Mr Bannon said of those taking to the streets: "You're going to hit their tripwire. And once you hit their tripwire, these are tough hombres."

An unnamed Trump administration official told the Daily Mail that people "on both sides of the Atlantic" were awakening to what they termed a "stark reality" regarding immigration.

The unrest erupted after Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old Sudanese migrant, was charged with attempted murder following an alleged knife attack on Monday evening in north Belfast.

The incident left victim Stephen Ogilvie with serious injuries and resulted in the loss of his left eye.

Alodid appeared in court in Belfast on Wednesday and was remanded in custody.

Scenes in the city have drawn grim comparisons to the sectarian violence that plagued Northern Ireland for three decades.

However, this time the response has united communities that were historically divided.

Catholics and Protestants have come together in their anger over the attack, marking a notable departure from the religious divisions that characterised the original Troubles.

Mr Bannon launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's handling of the situation, accusing him of directing criticism at British citizens rather than addressing migration concerns.

He said: "Not one comment about what these migrants are destroying."

During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir acknowledged public revulsion at the attack but focused his condemnation on those who responded with violence.

The Prime Minister told MPs: "But let me be clear, the acts of violence and arson that followed are totally unjustified."

Mr Bannon characterised the protesters as ordinary working and middle-class people who would no longer accept policies "pushed by the elites in London and Dublin, who are all globalist."

He added: "You've got to throw down at first because they don't listen until you throw down hard."

The Belfast disorder follows closely on the heels of the Henry Nowak murder case, which sparked international attention after footage emerged showing the dying teenager being handcuffed by police officers.

The killing, carried out by a Sikh man who falsely claimed he had been subjected to racial abuse, drew condemnation from senior US figures, including Vice President JD Vance and the State Department.

Mr Vance called for "righteous anger" over the death, attributing it partly to "the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it."

Downing Street responded sharply, criticising those "trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division on our streets."

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