Second arrest following slurry incident ahead of Ballymena Pride parade
A SECOND man has been arrested after slurry was spread on a number of streets in Ballymena, Co. Antrim ahead of the town's first ever Pride parade on Saturday.
The incident has drawn condemnation from some politicians, with Minister for Justice Naomi Long describing it as: "Disgusting in every sense of the word."
Fortunately, the event was able to go ahead following a clean-up operation involving organisers and local business owners.
Police discovered the slurry shortly before 3am on Saturday and arrested a 19-year-old man.
He has since been charged with criminal damage, possession of an article with a blade or point and causing material to be deposited on a road and is due to appear in court tomorrow.
Officers have now revealed they have also arrested a 20-year-old man in relation to the incident.
"The man was arrested on Sunday morning on suspicion of criminal damage, aiding and abetting criminal damage and causing material to be deposited on a road and he remains in custody at this time," said a PSNI spokesperson.
"The matter is being treated as a hate crime and enquiries are ongoing."
Anyone with information in relation to the incident can contact police on 101, quoting reference 191 of June 28.
See More: Antrim, Ballymena, Pride
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
37 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Bail for man accused of spreading manure on road before Ballymena Pride Parade
A Co Antrim teenager spread gallons of manure on a road before Ballymena's first Pride Parade as part 'of a prank,' a court heard. Coleraine Magistrates Court also heard that Isaac Adams (19) 'made full and frank admissions' to police when he was arrested. Mr Adams was 'literally caught in the headlights of the police vehicle' when committing the offence, defence solicitor Stewart Ballentine told the court. In court on Monday, Mr Adams, from Lislaban Road in Cloughmills, confirmed his identity and that he understood the three charges against him, all alleged to have been committed on Jun 28th. READ MORE He was charged with causing criminal damage to Granville Drive in Ballymena, causing chicken manure to be deposited on the road and possessing a bladed article, namely a lock knife. A police statement said Mr Adams was arrested following reports of slurry being spread on the road at about 2.55am. 'The matter is being treated as a hate crime,' the PSNI statement said. During Mr Adams's brief court appearance, a PSNI officer gave evidence that she believed she could connect the teenager to each of the offences. She outlined how police on patrol happened upon a male, wearing a balaclava and carrying 'two empty 25 litre jugs.' 'He admitted that he had been spreading the manure over the roads to disrupt the Pride Parade,' the officer told the court, adding that the lock knife was found in his pocket when Mr Adams was searched. Mr Adams, the court heard, 'freely admitted' that he intended to disrupt that Pride Parade due to be held later that day and during formal police interviews, the teenager told police 'he was not the only person involved.' The farmer told police he had filled four or five, five gallon jugs with 'hen litter waste' from his family farm 'and described it as a prank.' Regarding issues of bail, the officer said Mr Adams has no criminal record. District Judge Peter King heard the clean-up operation cost £788. Freeing Mr Adams on his own bail of £500 and adjourning the case to July 24th, the judge imposed several conditions. A 20-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the incident has been released on police bail and is due to appear in court in November.
Agriland
an hour ago
- Agriland
PSNI makes arrests after slurry spread on road in Co. Antrim town
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed it made two arrests after slurry was spread on a road in the town of Ballymena, Co. Antrim. Police initially arrested a man yesterday (Saturday, June 28) in Ballymena after officers on patrol in the Granville Drive area observed slurry on the road at around 2.55a.m yesterday morning. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a blade/point. As the incident is understood to have coincided with the timing and location of a Pride event, the PSNI said the matter is being treated as a hate crime. Enquiries continued, and the arrested man was charged with criminal damage, possession of an article with a blade or point and causing material to be deposited on a road. He is due to appear at Coleraine Magistrates' Court tomorrow (Monday, June 30). As is normal procedure, all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service, the PSNI said. Today (Sunday, June 29), the PSNI announced the arrest of a second man, aged 20. The man was arrested this morning on suspicion of criminal damage, aiding and abetting criminal damage, and causing material to be deposited on a road. He remains in custody at this time. Again, this arrest is being treated as a hate crime. Enquiries are continuing. PSNI investigate bird poisoning Separately this week, the PSNI said that a red kite, a protected bird of prey in Northern Ireland, which had been found dead, had been fatally poisoned. The bird, which was found dead near Loughbrickland, Co. Down, died by what is believed to have been targeted poisoning using the rodenticide chloralose and the insecticide bendiocarb. The PSNI lead for wildlife crime and animal welfare, superintendent Johnston McDowell, said: 'Red kites, along with all birds of prey, are protected in Northern Ireland under the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (NI) Act 2011.' He said that the birds were brought back to Northern Ireland in 2008 after being extinct for centuries, and that this is not the first time they have had an incident of poisoning with this kind of birds.
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Man (19) to appear in court over slurry-spreading incident before Ballymena Pride parade
A 19-YEAR-OLD man is set to appear before court this morning after being charged in relation to a slurry-spreading incident before the first ever Pride parade in Ballymena. On Saturday morning, slurry was spread on a number of roads in the Co Antrim town in the hours ahead of its first Pride parade. A 19 year old man was arrested in the Granville Road area of Ballymena and charged with criminal damage, possession of an article with a blade or point and causing material to be deposited on a road. Advertisement He is due to appear at Coleraine Magistrates' Court later this morning. Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man who was arrested by PSNI officers investigating the slurry-spreading incident has been released on bail. Businesses near the Town Centre shopping centre opened their shutters on Greenvale Street and Ballymoney Street on Saturday morning to find the mess. One shopkeeper said the slurry was all over the road and had reached parts of the lampposts on the edge of the street. The Pride parade went ahead as planned in Ballymena on Saturday, though it was protested by four local evangelical Christian groups. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
