15 officers injured after masked rioters threw missiles as Northern Ireland protest turned violent
Violence has broken out between police and protesters in Northern Ireland where properties have been damaged and missiles have been thrown at officers.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said 15 officers were injured after they came under "sustained attack" from masked rioters, who threw petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry and bricks.
Two police vehicles were damaged during the disorder in Ballymena, in Co Antrim, while homes and businesses had doors and windows smashed, according to police.
PSNI said four houses were damaged with fire, with three people evacuated, and the incidents are being investigated as "racially-motivated hate attacks".
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of riotous and disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police.
Local MP Jim Allister said tensions over immigration had been building for some time, adding that the violence followed a peaceful protest in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault at the weekend.
Two 14-year-old boys were charged with attempted rape and were remanded in custody when they appeared at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday. The charges were read to them by a Romanian interpreter.
Justice Minister Naomi Long said: "I am absolutely appalled by the disturbing scenes in Ballymena yesterday evening during which PSNI officers were injured, residents terrorised, and properties damaged.
"There is absolutely no place in our society for such disorder and there can be no justification for it."
Police condemned the disorder, which followed an initially peaceful vigil before people wearing masks broke away and started to build barricades, stockpile missiles and attack properties.
Local media estimated around 2,500 protesters were involved in the disturbances, which some dubbed "anti-immigrant".
A Romanian mother of three, who lives in one of the targeted houses, said she is scared to stay in the area and her children were asking why they were being attacked.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson called for calm over the coming days and said: "Last night saw significant sustained disorder in Ballymena.
"This violence was clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police.
"I want to condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. It has no place in our society and should be loudly condemned by all right-thinking people."
The prime minister's official spokesman also called the disorder in Ballymena "very concerning," and added: "Obviously, the reports of sexual assault in the area are extremely distressing, but there is no justification for attacks on police officers while they continue to protect local communities.
"PSNI and the justice system must be allowed to carry out their jobs and our thoughts are with the victims of the assault as well as the police officers who were injured."
Videos of the incident on social media showed a large police presence, with officers in riot gear taking shelter behind a police Land Rover as a fire burned close by.
In other footage, protesters burned plastic road barriers and bins as part of a barricade on the street and masked individuals threw missiles including cans of paint and glass bottles at PSNI vehicles.
A line of police vehicles advanced towards the protesters followed by officers on foot.
Firefighters later responded to the burning debris on the road and inspected a nearby house which had filled with smoke.
Video also appeared to show some protesters targeting houses by smashing windows.
Pictures of the disorder included one of a boat overturned outside a row of houses which appeared to have been those attacked by a mob.
Police said officers are also investigating reports a petrol bomb was thrown at a vehicle in the Tobar Park area of Cullybackey in the early hours of Tuesday, which is also being dealt with as a racially-motivated hate crime.
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