Riot police sent into Belfast: Petrol bombs thrown after sex crime vigil turned violent
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Putin 'same as Hitler' says war crimes detective who pieces together body parts
Colonel Serhii Bolvinov doesn't let being on a Russian hit-list stop him from investigating the horrors of Russian atrocities committed by President Vladimir Putin's brutal invasion army One of Ukraine's most senior war crimes investigators has described the horror of probing tens of thousands of Russian war atrocities. Veteran police officer Colonel Serhii Bolvinov landed 448 crimes in the immediate aftermath of the Kremlin invasion - a task that has now swollen to 22,000 atrocities. And his grim job has put him high up on Russia 's hit list. US President Donald Trump will tomorrow hold his peace summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is an International Criminal Court war crimes suspect. And there has been no mention of the tens of thousands of war crimes allegedly committed by Russian troops during the war. As the world awaits the result of Friday's Alaska meeting International law firm Global Right Compliance, has warned any peace deal must not side-step the quest for justice for Ukrainian victims.. And Col Bolvinov, 43, is on the frontline of that quest. Col Bolvinov tells how he and his officers arrived at a forest outside the city of Izium, which is close to the Russian border. It comes after Putin warns of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine Soon after Vladimir Putin's tanks and troops poured into Ukraine on February 24 2022 they threw themselves into an orgy of violence and depravity. In the weeks after the invasion the Mirror witnessed the aftermath of these crimes in areas such as Buch, north west of Kyiv, where corpses were dug up in huge mass graves. Civilians had been forced at gunpoint to bury their neighbours in these grim pits as the Russians did not want to be reminded of their crimes. It was the same wherever Russian troops appeared after the invasion and Col Bolvinov's team spent months exhuming decomposing civilian bodies after Putin's cowardly troops fled a ferocious Ukrainian counter-offensive. More than two years later Colonel Bolvinov, who commands the Kharkiv police investigations department, recalls: 'The smell was terrible from the very first minutes of the exhumation. Most of the bodies were badly decomposed because they were just thrown into the ground. As police investigators, we have seen many things. But this was terrifying because we were confronted with hundreds of bodies that had to be exhumed and accounted for. 'But all those war crimes must be accounted for - however long it takes.' In 2021 Bolvinov was appointed as head of police investigations for Kharkiv, which borders Russia, population 2.6m and the size of the Netherlands. On February 23, 2022, Bolvinov finished work in Kharkiv city at midnight and went to his rural home where he lived with his wife and three children. He said: 'My wife waited up for me and we talked about possible invasion and what we should do. She had prepared the car, but we did not think there would be an invasion. 'At about 4.30am, my wife heard these explosions, and she hit me so hard that I fell out of the bed. In 20 minutes, we had fully packed the car, we hugged goodbye and at that point we did not know if we would ever see each other again. It was horrible.' Bolvinov put his uniform on and headed into work in Kharkiv city, just 25 miles from the Russian border. His family, who he cannot name for safety reasons, have remained abroad ever since. He said: 'At 6pm I was at my post, ready to show my colleagues we needed to protect the city. 'I started to do typical police work. I slept on the floor in the office but by the 27th the Russians were just 500 metres away. We developed a rule of two walls. If a rocket or bomb is coming your way you need to be behind two walls. But I was beginning to get videos on Telegram from civilians and colleagues. 'We started to collect these videos from across the Kharkiv region and share them with the Ukrainian military, but we also had to control the situation because there were also looters and ordinary criminals.' Bolvinov and his 1000-strong team began to create a map of the region in order to track the shifting frontline. Three days later it came to their front door. He said: 'On February 27th the Russians infiltrated Kharkiv city. They were 500 metres from my office and I was at the office at the time. As a police officer you have to stay in your position. It doesn't matter who the criminal is, whether it is a civilian or Russian military. We started to collect evidence about war crimes.' Bolvinov and his team adapted quickly to survive. He said: 'As police officers we had never seen this before and didn't even know what war crimes were. But we started to collect evidence because there were a lot of dead people, a lot of wounded people, injured people, because Russia used cluster bombs, ballistic missiles, high explosive bombs dropped from the air. 'We started to learn about international law, how to gather evidence to the same standard, understand the weapons used. There were so many dead bodies in the streets.' Within months mobile DNA vans arrived, meaning it took hours instead of months or even years to identify victims. As civilian police they focus on civilians and civilian property when it comes to war crimes. These cover murder, torture, rape, and wounding, as well as destruction of property. Among them so far are 2854 civilians killed, including 96 children. The Russians have targeted Bolvinov and his colleagues, with their buildings hit by bombs and missiles and they have to dodge from building to building. In 2023 Bolvinov narrowly dodged being killed. He said: 'One day I was 200 metres away from a Russian rocket explosion. I was in a car driving through Kharkiv and there were no air defence systems at that time. They hit a building very close to me, the noise was deafening and very scary.' The Russians have him on their hit list, publishing his personal details, including his phone number. In October 2023, Bolvinov went to a village called Hroza after a Russian strike on a cafe. He said: 'Collaborators had sent information that a café was a Ukrainian military location and Russia used ballistic missiles. Because it was such a large missile, we could visually identify only 20 people. There were 59 civilians there, so many in such a small location there were a lot of body parts. 'That was when we started using mobile DNA labs and we spent five days and nights at the scene. It was a human horrible puzzle with parts from a head, an arm. Eventually we pieced together the DNA picture of the victims and pieced together the remains of perhaps a single victim, including a 12-year-old child.' But the scale of the 'cemetery' in Izium continues to haunt Bolvinov. "It required two mobile DNA vans for two months, without days off. We took DNA from the cheeks and lips. It was clear that we are dealing with a big case of Russians murdering civilians. To complicate matters the area had been heavily mined by the Russians.' In one grave marked 319 lay Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, who had been seized by soldiers in March, his fate unknown. Investigators calculated he had been shot twice with a semi-automatic Makarov pistol after being taken away by three men from the so-called Lushansk People's Republic. The case was built using eyewitnesses, who identified their car, and heard their call signs, or military names, their commander, and documents abandoned by the Russians. The trio remain at large but only last month, his team presented their case to the Kharkiv court naming Dmytro Katkalov, 36, as one of three soldier suspects. Bolvinov is emphatic that justice will be served. He said: 'One hundred percent. . We are experienced at collecting the evidence, we have the expertise. We know who the criminals are and we know who the victims are. We do this for the future, for justice and we do this risking our lives.' When asked about whether Russian war criminals will ever be brought to justice Bolvinov says: 'You know, that is not my brief. I investigate war crimes and believe in the truth. You know who Hitler is and I know who Putin is. It is the same. I have visited Croatia and it took more than 30 years to get justice.' Wayne Jordash KC, President of international law firm Global Right Compliance, tells the Mirror: 'While a ceasefire would be a welcome development for Ukraine, any deal that sidesteps justice for victims or ignores documented atrocities risks abandoning the fundamental principles of international law. 'It's vital a deal is followed by steadfast support for Ukraine's Office of the Prosecution, to ensure that Russian forces who have committed horrific crimes, including widespread and systematic torture, including sexual violence, killing, and starvation, and a range of other crimes against humanity, are held to account.'
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Girl, 12, raped by 200 men after failing exam and running away from home
The young girl was saved from an Indian prostitution ring after suffering a three-month-long period of horrific abuse. A young girl has been rescued from a prostitution ring in India after being raped by more than 200 men within three months. The child, originally from Bangladesh, ran away to India out of fear of being beaten by her parents for failing a school subject. A woman she knew assisted in smuggling her across the border but according to Indian police, upon arrival, she was taken to Nadiad in Gujarat and forced into prostitution, reports the Mirror. During her ordeal, she faced continuous sexual abuse until being freed on July 26, following a collaborative effort between a local advocacy group and the anti-human trafficking unit of the local police. With 10 individuals arrested so far, activists say her extraction from these horrors marks only the beginning of a long road to recovery. "This girl has not even reached her teenage years, but her childhood has been stolen by such monsters in the flesh trade," said Abraham Mathai, founder-chairman of the Harmony Foundation, one of the NGOs involved. "Behind every such rescue is a child who wasn't heard; a child failed first by those meant to protect her, and then by a society that only reacts when it's too late." Mathai also highlighted children can be put at risk due to severe parenting methods. Local police commissioner Niket Kaushik said law enforcement is actively investigating to dismantle the network and safeguard other at-risk children. Despite these efforts, activists argue the police must intensify their actions to ensure the safety of children. Activist Madhu Shankar added: "I have often seen minor girls begging in Vashi and Belapur areas, who are often stolen as babies from villages, brought to cities and then exploited. "They are handled by one or two elderly women who also push them into prostitution. They are even administered hormonal injections so that they attain puberty earlier." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Research by Child Rights and You revealed a dramatic increase in sexual violence across India, with incidents soaring by 96 per cent between 2016 and 2022. Nearly 40,000 cases of child rape and sexual assault were recorded in 2022 alone. In April, a teenage girl in India suffered a horrific gang rape by 23 men who allegedly passed her between them, transporting her to different attackers at each location. The 19-year-old victim alleges she was kidnapped by a man whilst returning home from her friend's house on March 29 in Varanasi, northern India. She stated she was transported to a café in a neighbouring town, three miles away, where she encountered her next attacker. Local media reported the teenager was subsequently taken by another man and his accomplice to a highway, where they sexually assaulted her. They then abandoned her in another town called Nadesar.
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Three children charged with murder after man 'beaten to death with rocks'
A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 14 and 15, from London have been charged with the murder of Alexander Cashford. Three children have been charged with murder following the death of a man on the Isle of Sheppey, according to police. A 16-year-old girl and two boys, aged 14 and 15, all from London, have been charged with the murder of Alexander Cashford in Leysdown-on-Sea. A 12-year-old girl from Basildon, who was also arrested in relation to the incident, remains in custody. The 49-year-old was declared dead at around 7pm on Sunday after an air ambulance was summoned to the scene, reports the Mirror. It is alleged the victim was attacked following a "disturbance involving a small group of people". Multiple injuries were reported on the man's body. Two teenage boys and a girl were apprehended shortly afterwards and taken into custody. Yesterday, trio were charged with murder by joint venture. They are set to appear before Medway Magistrates' Court. Police are still appealing for any witnesses who haven't yet come forward to do so. Kent Police issued a statement saying: "Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and Alexander Cashford, 49, was confirmed deceased at the scene. "A short while later, two teenage boys and a girl were arrested and taken into custody. "On Tuesday 12 August, the boys, aged 14 and 15, and the 16-year-old girl were charged with murder by joint venture. "The three suspects, who are all from London, were remanded in custody to appear before Medway Magistrates' Court the following day. "A 12 year old girl, arrested on 12 August in Basildon in connection with the incident, remains in custody while enquiries continue." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
