Ballymena: Minister faces calls to resign over post about Larne Leisure Centre
The North's first minister Michelle O'Neill has said Stormont communities minister Gordon Lyons should resign over a social media post sent hours before an attack on Larne Leisure Centre.
Mr Lyons has faced criticism over a social media post about the location of immigrant families who fled their homes. Mr Lyons has resisted calls for his resignation and said he would 'strongly hit back at any notion' that he had publicly revealed the centre was being used to house immigrant families who had been affected by violence in Ballymena.
Masked youths attacked the leisure centre on Wednesday night and set it on fire. Before the fire, Mr Lyons posted on social media that the building had been used to accommodate several people following riotous behaviour in the town of Ballymena, which is 30 minutes away. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons during a press conference at Parliament Buildings at Stormont in Belfast. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Police said that ethnic minorities have been targeted in the violence, which they have described as 'racist thuggery'. Mr Lyons's post said: 'It has been brought to my attention that a number of individuals were temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre in the early hours of the morning following the disturbances in Ballymena.
'As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP council colleagues were made aware or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon… 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. Properties in Ballymena with signs saying, locals live here. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
'Protesting is of course a legitimate right but violence is not and I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful.' Ms O'Neill said: 'He has failed to show correct leadership and I think that his commentary falls very short and very much strays into the territory of inflaming the situation, so I think that he should consider his position.'
Deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly, a DUP colleague of Mr Lyons, said: 'I think what the people of Northern Ireland need and want right now is to see that the Executive is united, and united on a very clear message.
That is incredibly important. We have just seen three nights of violent disorder.' When Mr Lyons was asked by BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme if he should still be in his job, he replied: 'Absolutely.' A view of destroyed MLarne Leisure Centre, used as an emergency center for those displaced by the racist violence, after racist attack in Mid and East Antrim, Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Pic: Getty Images
He added: 'Let me set out the facts because it is clear that some don't know them. The leisure centre was used to temporarily house those who had been affected by the violence in Ballymena. This had been confirmed yesterday publicly. It was in the public domain. It was on a news website and it had been confirmed by the council.
'My message was posted because rumours had been circulating that the leisure centre was to be turned into a permanent centre… A protest had already been planned at 7pm last evening.
The PSNI was then in contact with one of our local councillors and they were keen that we highlight the fact that the leisure centre was no longer being used for this purpose. Police officers on Clonavon Road in Ballymena following a second night of violence in Ballymena, during a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town. Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
They wanted to stop the rumours that people were being permanently housed there and all of that was the catalyst for the protest. As a result of that, I posted a clarification that the centre had been used but that it was temporary and was no longer being used for that purpose.'
Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn said people have been forced out of their homes and he didn't 'think it helps matters at all to publicise where they have been taken'.
The fire in Larne coincided with a third night of public disorder in Ballymena. The violence began on Monday night following an earlier peaceful protest organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault.
Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Black and Cillian Sherlock.
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Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
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