15 police officers injured during violence in Ballymena
Justice Minister Naomi Long said there can be 'no justification' for such 'appalling' scenes and police have appealed for calm following the disruption in the Co Antrim town.
Police said the attacks are being treated as racially motivated hate crimes. One arrest has been made.
Along Clonavon Terrace, six houses had their windows smashed and two of those have been taped off after suffering significant fire damage.
A Romanian mother of three, who lived in one of the targeted houses, told the PA news agency that she is scared to stay in the area and her children were asking why they were being attacked.
Local MP Jim Allister said tensions had been growing in the town over immigration, 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 in the town at the weekend.
Two 14-year-old boys appeared in court on Monday charged with attempted rape. The charges were read to the teenagers by a Romanian interpreter.
Providing an update, the PSNI said: 'At around 7.30pm, a planned vigil gathered in the Galgorm Road area before making its way towards Larne Street, onto Wakehurt Road and then down Queen Street.
'The vigil was initially peaceful as it made its way towards the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena.
'Officers were present at the vigil to ensure an appropriate and proportionate policing response, due to the large number of people who had gathered in the area.
'A number of masked individuals then broke away from the vigil and began to build barricades, stockpiling missiles and attacking properties in the Clonavon Terrace area. Elements of the crowd then turned on to police and attacked officers with petrol bombs and masonry.
'This disorder was sustained and continued in the vicinity of Galgorm Street, Linenhall Street and Larne Road Link in the vicinity of the Braid.'
The statement added: 'Police officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry and bricks thrown in their direction by masked rioters. Fifteen officers were injured with some requiring hospital treatment.
'Two police vehicles were also damaged during the disorder
'A number of homes and businesses were damaged with windows and doors smashed. Four houses were damaged by fire with three people evacuated.'
'The attacks on these properties are being investigated as racially motivated hate attacks.
'Windows were also smashed of several business units in Galgorm Parks in the early hours. In total, six properties in Clonavon Terrace have sustained damage to windows and doors during the disorder.
'During the course of the serious disorder, authorised police officers discharged one Attenuating Energy Projectile (AEP) with one rioter struck.
'A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of riotous and disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police. He remains in police custody at this time.'
As part of ongoing enquiries, police are also investigating a report of arson at the Tobar Park area of Cullybackey in the early hours of Tuesday.
Shortly after 12.20am, it was reported that a petrol bomb had been thrown at a vehicle in the area which set it alight. Damage was caused to a nearby property, with a woman and two children inside.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson 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.
'Last night, we made one arrest. Today, we are actively working to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. Over the coming days, we will have in place a significant policing presence to help protect these communities in Ballymena and prevent any future disorder.
'During the course of the night, 15 officers were injured. I am hugely grateful to them for their bravery in facing this challenge. I also want to put on record my gratitude for colleagues from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, who were responding to help keep people safe.
'We are engaging with groups affected by the disorder to support and reassure them. I would strongly urge anyone who was involved in yesterday's violent disorder to reflect long and hard about their actions, they will have consequences. I also appeal for calm over the coming days.
'Anyone who has information or who can help identify those responsible is asked to contact police on 101.'
TUV leader Mr Allister said: 'Within Ballymena there has been rising concerns about the sheer scale of migration into the town and that would have been a factor in the wholly peaceful protest.
'All that to be distinguished from the wanton violence which then followed, with obviously a minority of that peaceful crowd wanting to take advantage of that to visit violence which wasn't wanted or warranted, hence the scenes that we saw.
'It is very distressing to see scenes of violence on the streets of Ballymena.'
Mr Allister said tensions have been building in the town 'for a considerable period of time'.
Ms 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.
'I would appeal to those involved to seriously consider their actions and step back from this behaviour before someone is seriously injured or worse.
'Attacking homes and police officers serves no purpose other than to damage communities and raise tensions. Those involved will be pursued and held accountable for their actions.
'I have conveyed to the PSNI my best wishes to the injured officers for a speedy recovery.
'I am also calling on community and political leaders and all those with influence to condemn this violence and work with the police and community to quell any further disorder or violence.'
In a statement on Monday night, the PSNI said a number of missiles had been thrown towards police with damage reported to a number of properties.
It said officers would remain in the area to monitor the situation.
Chief Superintendent Sue Steen said: '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.'
The PSNI asked anyone with information to contact them on 101 or online via psni.police.uk/makeareport. Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
33 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Ballymena riots explained as police call for calm following 'racist thuggery'
Rioters descended on the streets of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, where they are tearing through a neighbourhood rocked by a recent alleged sexual assault Riots on the streets have left the quiet town of Ballymena in flames and swarming with armed officers following what police say are the actions of "racist" protesters taking advantage of two recent arrests. Violence flared in the Northern Irish community, around 30 miles from Belfast, on June 9 following a peaceful vigil at the site of an alleged sexual assault in the Clonavon Terrace area, for which they have arrested and charged two teenage boys. Police have been deployed wearing body armour after initial protests snowballed into chaos, with PSNI officials condemning the actions of people - both locals and people who have arrived in the town from elsewhere - as "racist thuggery", as officers respond with water cannons and rubber truncheons while coming under heavy fire from rioters, who have pelted them with all manner of missiles. How the violence began The first protest following the alleged incident came after PSNI said it arrested and charged two boys with attempted rape following an incident on June 7. The pair have appeared before Coleraine Magistrates' Court, where they confirmed their names and ages via a Romanian interpreter, with their solicitor later adding they would deny the charges against them. A third 28-year-old man arrested in connection with the incident was unconditionally released from police custody following questioning. A vigil was held following the incident which police say was hijacked by bad actors who have stoked "racially motivated" violence, targeting homes and police with fire bombs and masonry after breaking away from the crowd and building barricades. One property was set on fire, and several cars were left flaming after dozens of masked rioters arrived from outside the town. Police said a pregnant woman was living at one of the homes targeted by the rioters. Local outlets estimated that around 2,500 people have participated in the riots. Some locals fearing violent retribution have begun labelling their properties with disturbing notices carrying their nationalities. One sign reading "British household" was seen on a local home, with another sporting a sign reading "Filipino lives here". Officials condemn racism in calls for calm Police and local officials have been quick to condemn the violence, with PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson saying the violence was a result of "racist thuggery, pure and simple". He told a news conference on Monday night that members of the crowd were "clearly intent on violence" and that some pre-planning may have been involved. He 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." Liam Kelly, the chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, the body that represents police officers in the home nation, said officers had likely "prevented a pogrom" despite what he said was critical underfunding. He said: "I have no doubt whatsoever that police officers – far too few, because the service is starved of resources and officer numbers – prevented a pogrom with consequences too painful to contemplate. What we saw was totally mindless, unacceptable and feral." Locals flee homes in fear of violence PSNI said in a statement on Wednesday that four homes have been damaged with fire, and three people have been evacuated, with more locals planning to flee in their wake, fearing that the developing violence - which they fear could go on for weeks - could eventually touch theirs and their loved-one's properties. Among those taking urgent action was one man who told Sky News he was forced to drag his 84-year-old mum "kicking and screaming" from the home in which she has lived for 40 years because he felt the neighbourhood was now unsafe. He said he had "never seen anything like this". Another family living in the town was forced to retreat to and hide in their attic on Monday night, the first during which violence flared, as their homes were ransacked. Police come under heavy fire As well as targeting local homes, rioters have rained fire on police who have been called to respond to the violent incident, with 15 officers left injured, according to PSNI. The police service said its officers came under "sustained attack" from masked rioters wielding a combination of petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry and bricks. Northern Irish Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was "appalled" by the violence inflicted on attending officers and locals. She 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 arrest rioters With riots having now lasted more than two days, police have arrested some people on suspicion of violence, and they expect to take more people into custody in the days to come. Police have arrested one 29-year-old on suspicion of riotous and disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police. ACCC Henderson expects that more arrests will come in future as investigators continue to review video footage of the riots, adding: "There will be more [arrests] to follow."
NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
Rioters attack police and torch houses for a second night in Northern Ireland
Hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena on Tuesday, in the second successive night of disorder that followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town. Seventeen officers were injured, bringing to 32 the number hurt since the violence began Monday following a large protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town. Two 14-year-old boys appeared in court that day, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. The charges were read to the teenagers via a Romanian interpreter, the BBC reported. A lawyer told the court that the two teenagers denied the charge. They were remanded in custody until July 2. Police are investigating attacks on properties Monday that saw four houses damaged by fire as racially-motivated 'hate crimes'. 'The mindless violence witnessed over the past two nights in Ballymena is deeply concerning and utterly unacceptable,' Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said in a statement on Wednesday. 'Hate-fueled acts and mob rule do nothing but tear at the fabric of our society... This behavior must stop.' One Romanian resident told the Irish Times on Tuesday that she was putting a British flag on her front window in a bid to prevent being targeted. Another door had a British and Filipino flag with a message saying 'Filipino lives here', a photograph in The Belfast Telegraph showed. Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behavior in Ballymena, located 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the capital Belfast, following one arrest there on Monday, police said on Wednesday. Police in Northern Ireland sporadically come under attack whenever tensions rise in parts of the British region, 27 years after a peace deal ended three decades of sectarian bloodshed there. Officers in riot gear and driving armored vans responded on Tuesday with water cannon and non-lethal rounds, known as attenuated energy projectiles, after being attacked by petrol bombs, scaffolding and rocks that rioters gathered by knocking down nearby walls, a Reuters witness said. One house was burned out and a police officer vomited after leaving another in a different part of the town that rioters had attempted to set alight, the witness added. A number of cars were set on fire and one lay upside down in flames as police sirens blared throughout the town past midnight. Separate protests Tuesday blocked off some roads in Belfast, another Reuters witness said. Bins were set alight and bottles and masonry thrown at police following protests in the towns of Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, police said. Police also reported some incidents in north Belfast. The British government and local politicians condemned the violence. 'The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland,' Britain's Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Benn said on X.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
17 police officers injured during second night of violence in Ballymena
Seventeen police officers have been injured following a second night of sustained violence in Ballymena, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the rioting 'risks undermining' the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in the Co Antrim town at the weekend. Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course. In a joint statement, ministers from across the powersharing Executive, which includes Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but 'division and disorder'. Police said their officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks in their direction in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Tuesday night. The PSNI deployed riot police, fired plastic baton rounds, and used water cannon as well as dog units as part of its response to the disorder. Police also reported that 'sporadic disorder' had also occurred in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, as well as incidents in north Belfast. It came after similar violent disorder around Clonavon Terrace in the town on Monday night, following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged. A PSNI spokesperson said earlier on Tuesday evening that a number of protests took place in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey. In Carrickfergus, two bins were set alight and bottles and masonry thrown at police in the Sunnylands area by a group of 20 to 30 young people at around 8.30pm. In Newtownabbey bins were set alight at the roundabout on O'Neill Road. During the course of the disorder in Ballymena, officers discharged a number of plastic baton rounds and the water cannon was also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds. The spokesperson said: 'Businesses and homes were attacked and damaged and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area. 'Seventeen officers were injured with some requiring required hospital treatment. 'Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and remain in police custody this morning. 'A male was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour on the O'Neill Road in Newtownabbey. 'A number of nearby roads were closed by police to ensure the safety of the public and local residents, and to enable officers to deal with the situation and disorder safely. All roads were subsequently reopened.' Fifteen officers had been injured during similar scenes in Ballymena on Monday. Mr Boutcher said: 'The mindless violence witnessed over the past two nights in Ballymena is deeply concerning and utterly unacceptable. 'These criminal acts not only endanger lives but also risk undermining the ongoing criminal justice process led by the PSNI in support of a victim who deserves truth, justice, and protection. 'Ironically, and frustratingly, this violence threatens to derail the very pursuit of justice it claims to challenge. 'Let me be clear: this behaviour must stop. I appeal to everyone involved to cease all further acts of criminality and disorder immediately.' The Chief Constable said the investigation into the violence would include reviewing video footage and images of individuals would be released to identify offenders. He added: 'Since 2010, the PSNI has been critically underfunded. This neglect takes no account of the enormous demands placed on us by legacy issues or the unique challenges of policing in a post-conflict society. 'Our resourcing levels are not just inadequate — they are dangerous. 'I will be making arrangements to activate mutual aid resources to ensure we have the necessary support to maintain public order and bring offenders to justice.'
