Petrol bombs thrown and riot police storm Belfast streets after sexual assault

Irish Daily Mirror

6 hours ago

Tonight, a peaceful protest in a small UK town spiralled into violence as it transformed into a riot, with police officers coming under fire from petrol bombs.
The turmoil swept through the streets of Ballymena, Co Antrim, in Northern Ireland, after a crowd of about 2,500 people took to the streets to voice their support for a woman who was recently sexually assaulted.
Authorities detained two boys, both aged 14, in connection with the incident, charging them with attempted rape.
The teens, denying the accusation of attempted oral rape, were brought before Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday morning, utilising a Romanian interpreter.
By the evening, large groups had gathered outside the Ballymena police station and Clonavon Terrace, which is in close vicinity to where the alleged assault took place on Saturday, June 7.
In response to the unrest, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesperson released a comment: "A number of missiles have been thrown towards police with damage reported to a number of properties. Officers are advising motorists and pedestrians to avoid the Clonavon Road area until further notice.", reports the Mirror.
Further elaborating they stated: "It follows a protest in the area earlier this evening. Officers are in attendance to ensure the safety of everyone involved. They will remain in the area tonight to continue to monitor the situation."
Chief Superintendent Sue Steen has called for level heads during the disorder, urgently requesting: "We are urging everyone to remain calm and to act responsibly. Violence and disorder will only place people at greater risk. Our priority is to keep the community safe, and I would appeal to everyone to work with us to bring calm to the area as quickly as possible."
Riot police were witnessed descending on the town centre after 10.30pm, more than sixty minutes after the protests took a violent turn. Concurrently, firefighters were contending with the task of dousing wheelie bin blazes and preventing them from spreading to nearby structures.
Footage shared across social media platforms depicts large swathes of individuals donning masks — standing before charred edifices and some featuring windows that have been shattered. Northern Ireland's Fire Service was reported to be dealing with blazes in two buildings on Clonavon Terrace, tracked down to a location where earlier groups had assembled, at approximately 11.15pm on June 9.
NIFRS units are actively engaged in firefighting efforts, whilst the police have supposedly resorted to utilising non-lethal baton round launchers to rein in the crowds hurling missiles.
Amidst the turmoil, an Alliance councillor has made an impassioned call to the rioters to desist.
Cllr Lauren Gray appealed on her social media channel, emphasising: "Appealing for calm in Ballymena right now. I know through my Council colleagues that the vast majority of people there don't support these actions in their community.
"There is no place for violence. Please stop."
BelfastLive has described the situation as "sporadic" rioting occurring through the night, with a "tense" atmosphere prevailing. A considerable police presence is set to be maintained in Ballymena until Tuesday morning.