A man praised for helping to stop a knife attacker in Belfast, England, has urged thousands of pounds raised in his name to be passed on to the victims and their families, while denouncing the anti-immigration violence that erupted in the city following the incident.Maitiu Mag Tigharnan, 32, stepped in and hit the attacker with a throwing stick before police arrived when Stephen Ogilvie was attacked in north Belfast on Monday night. Video of the intervention soon spread online, prompting supporters to launch a fundraising campaign that raised more than £30,000.talking about good morning britainTignan said the money should be used to support Ogilvie, who remains in hospital after suffering life-changing injuries. The victim lost his left eye and suffered serious injuries to his neck, back and face in the attack, which took place around 10.30pm.Tignan rejected suggestions that he was a hero, saying his actions were an instinctive reaction to seeing someone in danger.“It was a natural reaction,” he said, adding that he and a friend stumbled upon the incident while taking a shortcut to a gas station. They thought two men were fighting and stopped to intervene before realizing a knife was involved.He said he grabbed a throwing stick from the car that his son had used at sports training earlier in the day and struck the alleged attacker to stop the attack.The victim’s family later contacted Tegnan to thank him and tell him the public’s intervention helped save Ogilvie’s life.Meanwhile, Sudanese asylum seeker Hadi Alodid, 30, has been charged with attempted murder, possessing a bladed article and threatening to kill. He appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody. The charges relate to the attack on Ogilvie. Alodide has not yet entered a plea.The stabbings sparked chaos across Northern Ireland for two nights. Police said 12 officers were injured and 16 people were arrested during Wednesday night’s unrest.Tignan criticized those involved in the violence, saying legitimate protests lose their purpose once they become destructive.“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and their right to protest. When things get violent, you lose sight of protest and what it represents,” he said.Violence was reported in Belfast, Newtownabbey and Londonderry, with police facing bricks, petrol bombs and other projectiles. Police deployed water cannons as crowds attacked properties and set vehicles on fire.Ogilvie’s family also distanced themselves from the riots and issued a statement through police saying they were “disgusted” by the scenes that unfolded.The family stressed they did not want the attack to be used to fuel division or animosity, adding that many immigrants made valuable contributions to society, including in health care and hospitality.“We do not want this horrific tragedy to be used to divide people or promote hostility,” the statement said. “Do not do this in the name of our loved ones because we do not share the same values.”
