Riot police sent into Belfast: Petrol bombs thrown after sex crime vigil turned violent
Chaos unfolded in Ballymena, Co Antrim, in Northern Ireland, as 2,500 people gathered to show support for a female who was sexually assaulted. Two teenage boys, both 14, have been arrested and charged with attempted rape
Last night, pandemonium broke out in a quiet UK town as what began as a protest against a recent sexual assault spiralled into riots, with irate protestors lobbing petrol bombs at law enforcement.
The turmoil took root in Ballymena, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, where an estimated 2,500 people gathered to express their support for the young woman who was assaulted.
Two youths aged 14 were apprehended on suspicion of being implicated in the event and have been indicted for attempted rape.
Pleading not guilty to the charge of attempted oral rape at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday morning, they relied on a Romanian interpreter for communication. By Monday evening, the situation had escalated dramatically with throngs converging around the Ballymena police station and Clonavon Terrace, in close proximity to where the alleged assault happened on Saturday, June 7.
In a statement, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) representative said: "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.
They further 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 peace in the midst of turmoil, saying: "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 seen arriving in the town centre after 10.30pm, more than an hour after protests turned violent, while firefighters tackled blazes in wheelie bins and worked to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
Social media footage shows large groups wearing masks in front of charred buildings, some with shattered windows. The Northern Ireland Fire Service was dealing with two fires on Clonavon Terrace, where earlier crowds had assembled, around 11.15pm on June 9.
Fire service teams are actively extinguishing the fires, and police have been reported to use less-than-lethal baton rounds to manage the crowd hurling projectiles.
Alliance councillor Lauren Gray has made a heartfelt request for rioters to cease their actions.
On social media, Cllr Gray implored: "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 reported that "sporadic" rioting went on through the night, with the situation described as "tense". Past midnight, officers succeeded in pushing protestors away from Clonavon Terrace, yet disturbances persisted.
By approximately 12:30 am, another house on Larne Street was torched after vandals broke the windows and set fire to the terraced dwelling.
Not long after, at around 12:50 am, PSNI riot vans rushed to the area, with officers forcibly entering properties to evacuate residents amidst the chaos as masked onlookers filmed and uploaded footage onto TikTok.
A substantial police force is anticipated to stay in Ballymena until Tuesday morning.
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