PSNI chief warns rioters ‘we will arrest you'
Northern Ireland's police chief has warned 'bigots and racists' behind three nights of disorder in the region that his officers will be coming after them.
Jon Boutcher said a young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena at the weekend, an incident that triggered protests that descended into violence in the Co Antrim town, had been 'further traumatised' by the rioting since Monday.
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Forty-one officers have been injured in the unrest, which had resulted in 15 arrests by Thursday evening.
Mr Boutcher, who met the girl's family on Thursday, delivered a stark message to the rioters as he spoke to the media in Belfast after a meeting with his oversight body, the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
'Stop this violence,' he said. 'We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully. It is not in any way a way for a civilised society to behave and it must stop now.'
He said the family was 'mortified' by the disorder.
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'This girl's family and this girl want it to end. Our communities want it to end. We need it to end. So please don't come out on the streets tonight. If you do, we will police you and we will deal with you through the criminal justice system.'
After the warning, gatherings in several towns proceeded largely without any major disturbance by 9pm on Thursday.
A significant police presence had been deployed to Ballymena and Portadown but there was no initial repeat of the violence of previous nights.
Police said a separate protest in east Belfast also ended early in the evening.
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Officers from the PSNI form a barricade with riot shields during disorder in Ballymena (Liam McBurney/PA)
The riotous behaviour earlier in the week saw vandalism, vehicles burned and arson attacks on a number of properties across several towns.
Petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry and a hatchet were among items thrown at officers.
Police responded with water cannon, dogs and plastic baton rounds in an attempt to disperse crowds during riots in Ballymena.
Mr Boutcher said: 'I want to specifically mention the 41 police officers who've been injured. Each of those officers have put themselves in harm's way to protect our communities.
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'And I want to send a very clear message to all our diverse communities: we stand absolutely shoulder to shoulder with you. We are here to protect you.
'We are your police service, and these bigots and racists will not win the day. This will be policed properly. We will deal with this – and we all know that in this room – but let's call an end to it now.'
A PSNI vehicle near to debris on fire during disorder in Ballymena (Liam McBurney/PA)
The PSNI chief said the initial lawful and legitimate process before unrest broke out was done in a way that was responsible and empathetic to the victim.
However, he said the protest was subsequently 'hijacked' and turned into 'wanton, disgraceful criminal behaviour that is absolutely race motivated'.
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A hatchet was thrown at police during the unrest (PSNI Handout/PA)
The chief said the service was under-resourced and needed to be funded 'properly' rather than 'disgracefully'.
However, he said his officers would still bring people to justice: 'We've put our public order inquiry team together, we'll be releasing images of those responsible. We will be going after them.'
Mr Boutcher said 80 public-order officers from Scotland came to the region on Thursday to support policing efforts.
A person throws a hatchet at police during the disorder (Liam McBurney/PA)
The head officer described how PSNI members helped evacuate foreign national families who were hiding in attics and wardrobes in their homes in Ballymena as rioters went on the rampage on Monday night.
He said the families targeted had done nothing wrong.
'They are not criminals. They contribute positively to society here and are well integrated,' he said.
'Fire Service colleagues described how they went to the scenes to stop arson attacks at those addresses, and how they, in all their years in the Fire Service, have not seen levels of violence to that level, and told me specifically and directly of the bravery, the courage of a very thin green line of police officers that without doubt, in my view, saved lives that night.'
Michael Elliott, 18, leaving Ballymena Courthouse, following a short hearing where he faced charges relating to the disorder (Liam McBurney/PA)
Earlier, a judge warned that courts will deal 'robustly' with those involved in violence in Ballymena.
District Judge Nigel Broderick warned that young people who got involved were risking a significant custodial sentence as three teenagers faced rioting charges at the town's magistrates' court on Thursday.
Michael Elliot, 18, of Lanntara, Ballymena, and two youths were the first defendants to appear in court since the sustained violence erupted in the Co Antrim town on Monday.
Meanwhile, two other teenage boys who were arrested during the disorder have been released on bail to allow for further police inquiries.
A firefighter outside Larne Leisure Centre (Liam McBurney/PA)
Secretary of State Hilary Benn described the scenes as 'mindless racist thuggery' while Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long said it has been a 'three-day festival of hate and destruction' which needs to stop before someone loses their life.
Thirty minutes from Ballymena, a leisure centre in Larne was subjected to arson after temporarily being used as an emergency shelter for those in urgent need following disturbances in the town earlier in the week.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who highlighted the use of the building in a social media post, said all those who had been staying at the leisure centre are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons (Liam McBurney/PA)
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said Mr Lyons should resign over his social media post while the leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole said he would refer the Communities Minister to the standards commission.
Mr Benn also asked the minister to 'reflect upon his words' and 'not upon his position'.
Mr Lyons has resisted calls for his resignation and said he would 'strongly hit back at any notion' that he had publicly revealed the facility was being used to house immigrant families who had been affected by violence in Ballymena.
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