Man, 21, arrested after fire at Sir Keir Starmer's home
A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent toendanger life after two properties linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer were damaged in London.
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Reuters
43 minutes ago
- Reuters
Filipino families flee Northern Irish home after night of anti-immigrant violence
BALLYMENA, Northern Ireland, June 11 (Reuters) - Michael Sancio, a resident of the Northern Irish town of Ballymena, said he was woken at midnight on Tuesday by masked men banging loudly on windows. Sancio, his wife and daughter, and a couple who share their house - all originally from the Philippines - grabbed their passports and a few belongings and fled their home, sleeping at a friend's house on Tuesday night. They said they plan to stay further outside the town on Wednesday because they feel unsafe at home. Hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in the town of 30,000 people for a second successive night on Tuesday. Police are investigating the damaging of property as racially-motivated "hate crimes". "Last night I woke up at 12 midnight because I heard some people outside, and I saw in the window, I saw the other guys wearing a black jacket and black pants, and also they're wearing a mask," Sancio, 27, told Reuters on Wednesday. "They started banging the window of our neighbours so I panicked because I have a daughter inside that house." The rioters smashed the windows of the couple's car that was parked outside the house and set it and a bin on fire, said Sancio, who works at a local bus manufacturer. The violence erupted after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in Ballymena, a town with a relatively large migrant population located 28 miles (45 km) from Belfast. The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, the BBC reported, adding that the lawyer told the court that they denied the charges. Anti-migrant violence is rare in Northern Ireland, which for decades has been more familiar with sectarian violence between resident Catholics and Protestants, including in Ballymena. While a 1998 peace deal largely ended the three decades of bloodshed between Protestants who want to remain under British rule and Catholics favouring a united Ireland, there are still sporadic clashes. Sancio said the masked men told them that they were not targeting Filipino people. Around Ballymena, Filipino residents put stickers of British and Filipino flags on their doors, with messages saying "Filipino lives here" to show they were not Romanian. Union Jack flags regularly fly in the largely pro-British town. Democratic Unionist Party councillor Lawrie Philpott told Reuters that some people who usually don't fly flags had hung Union Jacks outside their homes this week to show they are local. Around 6% of people in Northern Ireland were born abroad, according to government statistics. The foreign-born population in Ballymena is higher, in line with the UK average of 16%, and includes a relatively large Filipino community. Northern Ireland has been broadly welcoming to migrants but that has been tested recently. Violent disorder erupted in Belfast last August as part of anti-immigration protests that swept across several UK cities following the murder of three young girls in northwest England. In the Republic of Ireland, rioting broke out in Dublin in late 2023 during anti-immigrant protests that were triggered by a stabbing attack that left a child seriously injured. Sian Mulholland, a local lawmaker from the Alliance Party, said she was fielding calls from migrant families who in some cases had barricaded themselves into their homes until 0230 on Wednesday morning. "I had been engaging with this community beforehand because the houses they are living in are not fit for purpose. They're (living in) squalor," she told Reuters. Sancio's wife, Mariel Lei Odi, was working a night shift on Tuesday. When she returned home, she was worried about the safety of their two-year-old daughter, she said. "When I (came home to) my husband and chatted about what happened last night: (I said) 'my daughter, my daughter, my daughter. What happened?'," she said. Michael Asuro, who lives in the house with his wife, Jessa Sagarit, said he came to Northern Ireland just under two years ago to seek a better life. Sagarit said she felt traumatised by the events. Police have said they are braced for more violence on Wednesday. As residents boarded up broken windows and doors in Ballymena, the Filipino families wondered about their future and whether they will stay. "We feel extreme fear," Asuro said.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Ballymena riots latest: Fire started 'after vandalism' at leisure centre as disorder breaks out for third night in row in N Ireland
21:47:04 Leisure centre on fire 'temporarily housed people from Ballymena' Reports in Ireland suggest the leisure centre said to be targeted by vandals tonight - see 20.59 - may have housed people moved from Ballymena, though this has not been verified. DUP politician Gordon Lyons posted on Facebook earlier today "a number of individuals were temporarily moved to Larne Lesiure Centre... following disturbances in Ballymena". "It has now been confirmed to us by the PSNI and Council that all these individuals are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne," he added. "Protesting is of course a legitimate right but violence is not and I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful." The Irish Independent said it is understood there is nobody currently inside the Leisure Centre. 21:14:01 'Force will be used against violent individuals', police warn crowd In Ballymena, police have gathered to deter any rioters planing disorder for a third night in a row. Our team is there now, where a crowd has been told to move away. A warning played via speakers tells them they should be "dispersed immediately". It then warns "force will be used against violent individuals". 20:59:56 Fire breaks out in town east of Ballymena A fire has reportedly broken out at a leisure centre in another town in the same county as Ballymena. Footage on social media shows masked individuals smashing windows and setting fires outside in Larne. The map below shows where Larne is, about 20 miles east of Ballymena in County Antrim. Local Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly said the leisure centre "has been attacked by masked thugs". "Windows smashed and fires lit nearby," he posted on social media. "Larne does not need this." 20:59:01 In pictures: Police brace for further rioting More pictures now from the scene in Ballymena, where police are preparing for another night of rioting. 20:46:01 Entire rows of houses displaying 'locals live here' signs We've already brought you reports of residents in Ballymena displaying signs in their windows about their nationality - in an attempt to avoid rioters targeting their homes. Now, our team on the ground bring us pictures of entire rows of homes displaying signs. Our correspondent Connor Gillies explains that these signs look organised, as they are all of the same design, printed on yellow paper with black lettering in caps saying "Locals live here". Some homes with the signs in their windows also have the Northern Irish flag or the Union flag, too. 20:30:01 More police arrive with shields and helmets We reported in the post below that the police presence in Ballymena is growing. The picture below, from the last few minutes, gives you an idea of the units now taking formation. Several vans have arrived, blocking off a street as more officers line up equipped with riot gear. 20:16:48 Significant police presence in Ballymena A brief update from Connor Gillies, our reporter on the ground in Northern Ireland. He says he's just arrived in Ballymena for the evening, where there is a significant police presence. We'll bring you more updates as we get them. 20:09:01 'I deplore the thuggery' More political reaction now, with former SDLP leader Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick reacting to the violence. She said earlier: "I deplore the thuggery and the racist violence in Ballymena over the last two days, where there were attacks on the police service of Northern Ireland and on ethnic minorities." Violence condemned 'unequivocally' DUP peer Lord Weir of Ballyholme added: "Can I join with others in commending the efforts and the bravery of the police and the other emergency services in dealing [with the] situation of the last 48 hours, and also unreservedly and unequivocally condemn the violence that has taken place in Ballymena. "Whatever the underlying issues that are there in Ballymena, nothing can ever justify the thuggery that is being perpetrated there." 19:45:01 Aftermath of 'ugly' night of 'racially motivated' violence - and how it all began Police say the violence this week in Ballymena is "clearly racially motivated". Connor Gillies explains it all began with a vigil for a teenage girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault. Two teenage boys, from Romania, have appeared in court connected to that investigation. Officers say the vigil was hijacked by a planned anti-immigration mob. Watch below as Gillies runs through the origins of the riots, and looks at the homes devastated by violence.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Masked yobs set fire to NI leisure centre ‘used to house locals fleeing riots' as protests hit Ballyrema for 3rd night
MASKED rioters have set fire to a leisure centre reportedly housing evacuated residents in a third day of disorder across Northern Ireland. Hundreds of protesters have gathered across the region tonight yet again as cops gear up for another night of violence. 9 9 9 Social media footage shows masked individuals smashing windows at a leisure centre in Co Antrim and setting fires outside tonight. Local Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly said in a social media post: "Larne leisure centre has been attacked by masked thugs. "Windows smashed and fires lit nearby. Larne does not need this." Posts on social media claimed the leisure centre was housing those who were forced to flee their homes that were smashed and set on fire by yobs. Reports say no one is currently inside the burning building. The initial demonstrations ignited in Ballymena, with the PSNI saying it is 'not clear' if violence is being coordinated in the town. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said today: "At this point it's not clear to us or through intelligence or what we're hearing if there's paramilitary coordination to it." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the 'mindless attacks' that led to seven people being arrested and 33 cops injured over two nights of carnage. Violence originally erupted on Monday, stemming from an initially peaceful gathering to support a girl and her family after a sexual assault. But within hours of a court appearance of two 14-year-old boys charged with attempted rape, disorder broke out in Co Antrim. A third man, 28, was also arrested over the alleged sexual assault. Families in the town of Ballymena have been forced to flee their homes as the riots - slammed as "racist thuggery" by cops - continue. Crowds set fire to piles of furniture in the middle of the streets, homes were set alight, and multiple cars went up in flames. Harrowing photos from the last two nights show the charred remains of residents' property. Footage showed masked and hooded rioters lobbing petrol bombs, fireworks and bricks at cops trying to calm the unrest yesterday. Officers fired baton rounds and water cannon in a desperate bid to keep the mobs at bay. 9 9 9 On Monday night, 15 officers were injured and seventeen were hurt last night. Yesterday, wheelie bins and sofas were among the objects being dragged out onto the streets, with piles of furniture being set on fire. A child's bike was reportedly thrown over the heads of the crowd. A family including three children revealed they had to hide in their attic on Monday night after thugs broke into their home. Swarms of cops were filmed chasing people while equipped with riot shields. Firefighters were spotted clambering into a house after rioters tried and failed to set it on fire. In a statement, the The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said calm had been restored around 1am on Wednesday. Some terrified residents said they are preparing to move away with their children for fear of what may unfold next. On Tuesday, many residents placed posters in their windows identifying themselves as British to avoid being targeted. Union Jack flags were also prominently displayed. A hand-written note in one window read: "British residents." A 29-year-old man was arrested on Monday and has been charged with riotous behaviour, disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police. Six others were arrested last night. The PSNI said: "At this time, all incidents are being treated as racially-motivated hate crimes. "We absolutely condemn these disgraceful attacks on our minority ethnic friends and neighbours. "Those responsible are endangering not only the lives of those inside the properties, but putting themselves at risk of injury." 9 9 9
