A minister has condemned the “racist thuggery” which erupted in the wake of a knife attack in Belfast.

Hadi Alodid, 30, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder over the incident, in which victim Stephen Ogilvie lost an eye.

Migrant families have been burned out of their homes in what has been described as “a 21st century pogrom”.

Asked on Sky News whether these were racist riots rather than protests, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said: “Well, if you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin how else can you describe them

“That is racist thuggery, there’s no question about it at all.”

The minister said ethnic minority people in Northern Ireland were concerned about whether they would be targeted next.

He said: “We’ve had reports of people being stopped in their cars to be asked what their nationality is on their way to work, and this is completely unacceptable.”

In a statement on Wednesday night, Stephen Ogilvie’s family appealed for calm as they paid tribute to the contribution migrants make to society.

They said: “We have been left feeling disgusted by the scenes that unfolded yesterday across Northern Ireland in the wake of what happened.

“We want to make it absolutely clear that to do this in response is not supported by our family, and peaceful protest is only ever the way forward.”

The family added: “We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including from within our healthcare system and hospitality sector, and we depend on them to make our country work,” they said.

“We do not want this terrible tragedy to be used to divide people or fuel hostility – do not do this in the name of our loved one as we do not share the same values.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.