Councillor seeks urgent police meeting after three report stabbings in Belfast in last week

There have been three reported stabbing in south Belfast in the past week. Credit: UTV

A Belfast councillor is seeking an urgent police meeting after a number of stabbings in Belfast over the last week.

The calls from SDLP councillor Gary McKeown come after the latest stabbing in Raphael Street area in the Markets area of the city.

"People have expressed grave concern at the number of reported stabbings that have taken place in the area over the past week, fearful for their own safety," Cllr McKeown said.

Along with the attack in the Markets area, there were also reported stabbing incidents in the last week on the Ormeau Road and in Botanic Gardens.

"I've had residents contact me who are genuinely shocked and worried about what has happened," Cllr McKeown explained.

"While there's no evidence to suggest any link, this will provide little comfort to a community which has seen three incidents involving a blade within a one-mile radius of Ormeau Bridge within just a few days.

"The fact that these have taken place in largely residential areas is of particular concern, and it's only through sheer luck that we haven't had any fatalities.

"As Chair of the South Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership and a councillor for the area, I have been in regular contact with the police over the past number of days, but will be requesting a more formal meeting to get briefed on what their assessment of the situation is, and the steps that are being taken to deal with it."

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