John Garrity, who is from Trillick in Co Tyrone, said it is six years to the day that he moved to Belfast.

It was an anniversary he wanted to celebrate by posting to his followers online, but Saturday’s events spoilt the occasion.

“The city centre is a pure dump,” he told the Belfast Telegraph, “I don’t blame people for not going into it any more.”

Commenting on the attack, he said: “It went on for about a half hour or more.

“Everything was going grand, I was out for a couple of hours. I was over talking to people who would stop with me all the time to chat about music or where I’m playing.

“A visibly intoxicated man then grabbed the microphone. I took it back off him, because I have a rule with my mic that it’s only me who uses it because you never know whether someone might grab it

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