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Sunday World
a day ago
- Politics
- Sunday World
Anti-immigration group says the North will burn until politicians solve crisis
A group calling themselves the Ballymena Action Group they insist their actions are not racist Police Officers in Portadown were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. Police Officers in Portadown were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. The disturbance in the West Street area marked the County Armagh town's second night of unrest, but was at a lower level than seen earlier in the week. DUP politicians Jonathan Buckley and Carla Lockhart on the ground in Portadown. Pacemaker Press 13/06/2025 Police presence outside the Marine Court Hotel in Bangor as protest held. Photo by Sarah Harkness/Pacemaker Press Northern Ireland will continue to burn until politicians solve the immigration crisis. That's the grim warning from a group claiming to represent disaffected residents in Ballymena which has been the seat of widespread racially targeted violence across the Province. Calling themselves the Ballymena Action Group they insist their actions are not racist and lay the blame for foreign nationals being burned out of their homes at the feet of politicians and police. In a statement seen by the Sunday World they seek to assure what they call 'hard working honest families'' that they have nothing to fear insisting their targets are eastern European organized crime gangs. They also claim to have compiled a 40-page dossier on Romanian and Bulgarian crime figures operating in Ballymena as far back as five years ago. People trafficking, prostitution and drug dealing have been allowed to spread unchecked, they claim. Pacemaker Press 13/06/2025 Police presence outside the Marine Court Hotel in Bangor as protest held. Photo by Sarah Harkness/Pacemaker Press News in 90 Seconds - 15th June 2025 Chillingly they say the time for dialogue is over and have vowed to take the law into their hands as they intend to reclaim the streets of Ballymena. The statement comes in the wake of a week of the worst street violence seen here since last year's race riots in Belfast. This time the violence has spread to Larne where the local leisure centre was torched as it provided sheltered for families forced from their homes in Ballymena. Portadown has seen some of the worst violence, more than 20 police officers were injured during rioting on Friday evening and in Coleraine a family was burned out of their homes. In Bangor a protest outside a seafront hotel which has been used to accommodate asylum seekers passed off peacefully amid a heavy police presence. There had been fears of violence in the seaside city after graffiti appeared on walls in some areas warning foreign nationals they had 24 hours to get out. In one instance a warning slogan was daubed on the front door of a house. There is no indication the troubled is being orchestrated by paramilitary groups although police said individual paramilitary members are undoubtedly involved and there has been a level of orchestration, particularly in Portadown. DUP politicians Jonathan Buckley and Carla Lockhart on the ground in Portadown. In their statement the Ballymena Action Group said the violence was an expression of frustration. 'Levelling names such as racist and thugs does not help,' they said, 'it is due to years of being ignored by politicians, the great and the good, understanding the issues and working to resolving them is better than calling names. 'We do not support violence of any description but fully understand the frustration felt .' Tensions remained high across the Province over the weekend, police leave has been cancelled and the overstretched PSNI has been bolstered with the arrival of 80 officers from the Scottish police after a plea for help. Certain politicians have come under fire for what has been viewed as inflammatory language. TUV leader Jim Allister was criticized for referring to 'unfettered immigration' and claiming that 'busloads' of eastern Europeans are entering Northern Ireland from the South. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is facing calls for his resignation after the DUP referenced that Larne Leisure Centre was housing displaced foreign nationals. Within hours the building was set alight forcing a children's swimming class and a yoga class to flee through the back door. Ballymena Action Group say they will not be deterred and are set on their course of action until the immigration is resolved. 'To all politicians and representatives it is time to work to resolve problems and not pay lip service to them. 'It is time we are back on the streets only this time its different. Call us racist if you want but it won't deter us. We're not interested in dialogue with authorities or councillors so don't even try to contact us, been there, done that, nothing changed.' Police Officers in Portadown were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. The disturbance in the West Street area marked the County Armagh town's second night of unrest, but was at a lower level than seen earlier in the week. The statement sent to the Sunday World claims the PSNI has been handed a file of evidence against named east European individuals. 'We handed a 40 page dossier to police five years ago, pictures, names and addresses and much more on the Romanian and Bulgarian mafia gangs in Ballymena and look where we are today. 'We're going after the rapists the drug dealers and traffickers in these communities coz no one else is.' It was the only reference, albeit oblique, in their statement to the incident which sparked the violence. The alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena was the subject of peaceful protests in the town last Sunday and Monday nights. Two Romanian teenagers have appeared in court on charges of attempted oral rape, which they deny. The young girl's family has called for an end to the violence stating that the disruption is retraumatizing her. Videos circulating on social media claim to show a man arrested in connection with the alleged assault showing off a bundle of cash. He was named in the video and the Sunday World understands he has left the area. The Ballymena group insist they have no interest in law abiding families despite a number being forced from their homes, some of them having lived her for more than 10 years. Police Officers in Portadown were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. Ukrainian nationals fleeing the war in their homeland are among those affected. 'Hard working honest families do not need to fear us, we are here for you as well 'Any information given to us on these scumbags will be treated with the utmost confidence and will be thoroughly investigated and acted upon. ' Security chiefs are braced for another week of street violence. Scenes of burning homes and attacks on police have gone viral across the world. Videos on TikTok are attracting huge numbers. One live feed of violence in Ballymena was viewed more than two million times. The racial violence is at odds with Northern Ireland's status as the least culturally diverse region of the UK. Foreign nationals represent only three per cent of the population, according to official government figures there are only 1,500 eastern European nationals living in the North. On Friday evening police in Portadown deployed water cannon to tackle rioters who were attacking them. Officers were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. Earlier on Friday, police released photos of four suspects they wanted the public to help identify in connection with the disorder. Police have made 17 arrests following disorder in various parts of Northern Ireland, with 13 charged. Four have appeared in court and been remanded in custody. In a statement the PSNI told the Sunday World: 'As a Police Service we value community intelligence to support the delivery of effective policing and we take all submissions seriously. Any reports of criminal behaviour and potential activities is robustly assessed and investigated.'
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Masonry thrown at police in Portadown in fourth night of Northern Ireland disorder
BALLYMENA — There was disorder in Northern Ireland for the fourth night in a row but at a lower level than seen earlier this week. In Portadown, County Armagh, on Thursday a crowd pulled bricks and masonry from a derelict building which they threw at police. During the first three days of violence, which began in Ballymena, 41 officers were injured. Fifteen people have been arrested so far. The disorder started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town. In Portadown, police put out a warning on loudspeakers that they would fire baton rounds if the crowd did not disperse. There was a heavy police presence in the centre of Portadown where around 400 protesters gathered on Thursday than 20 police vehicles were parked along the main street and officers in riot gear blocked a number of was a peaceful protest earlier in the town but some disturbances developed, with masonry, including an empty beer keg, being thrown at police.A police helicopter also hovered over the town centre and officers had to extinguish a number of Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Jonathan Buckley called for "calm".He said: "Nobody wants to see violence on our streets no matter where they come from in Northern Ireland. The scenes over the past few days have been disturbing."Earlier, a housing association warned its residents to leave their homes and take measures to protect their properties ahead of the protest.A number of police officers in riot gear are standing in a rainy street. One is holding a gun. Police land rovers are parked beside in Ballymena, there was also a police presence, mainly in the Clonavon Terrace area, with a number of landrovers parked at locations where there had previously been after three nights of violent disorder, the rioters stayed Thursday evening, around 100 people turned up at an anti-racism protest in west Belfast. Members of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) trade union and representatives from People Before Profit addressed the crowd.A number of people wearing black face coverings were also passed off a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable said families hid in attics and wardrobes during violent disorder in Ballymena this Boutcher described the violence as "racist", adding "the people who are threatening families who are different to them - that is racism".Boutcher said after a peaceful protest was "hijacked" on Monday evening, police and the fire service had to help families "who have done nothing wrong".He added that: "We stand absolutely shoulder to shoulder with the diverse communities in Northern Ireland."These bigots and racists will not win the day."The first protest was organized hours after two teenage boys appeared before Coleraine Magistrates' spoke through an interpreter in Romanian to confirm their names and ages. Their solicitor said they would be denying the said in addition to the two teenagers who have been arrested and charged, there was "a third suspect who is currently outside the jurisdiction"."We will be bringing him back into the jurisdiction," he said the family of the young girl wanted the violence to stop."She's been further traumatized by what has happened over the last three nights," he have described the disorder as "racist thuggery, pure and simple" and targeted at ethnic minorities and law the three days in Ballymena, police officers came under sustained attack with petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks thrown in their called on those involved to stop and warned there would be prosecutions."Don't come out onto the streets tonight. If you do we will police you, and we will deal with you through the criminal justice system."We'll be releasing images of those responsible. We will be going after them."He said that three young people were in court in Ballymena on Thursday and remanded into custody for "these disturbances".Jody Esguerra is an outreach worker for the Filipino community and has been helping others find somewhere safe to said he received reports of a family that was "stuck inside" their home with "mobs and protesters" trying to enter, while "smashing the windows and throwing projectiles"."They're scared for their lives", he said, and added that they don't feel "welcome" said the family "didn't expect any of this to happen".They were woken up by "loud noises" and realized people were "throwing rocks at their door... and all tried to hide".The Social Democrat and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Claire Hanna described the scenes in Ballymena over the past few days as "dystopian"."It was one of the most disturbing things I've seen in this very, very challenged place," she Sharma, the chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, said: "This violence is racism – pure and simple."He said: "It is hard to find the words to describe the scenes of vitriol and hatred on our streets," adding that it is "mindless violence that is simply wrecking communities"."This violence needs to stop before a life is lost or serious injuries sustained."On Wednesday, the PSNI confirmed that a significant number of extra police officers were being deployed into areas Scotland has agreed to send officers, after police in Northern Ireland requested extra support under mutual aid Larne, masked youths attacked a leisure centre and set it on fire on centre had been providing emergency shelter for families following the clashes earlier in the week, the council have also been incidents in Carrickfergus, Coleraine, north Belfast and swimmer Danielle Hill, who competed in both the Paris and Tokyo Games, was at the facility when the attacks took took the decision to cancel swimming lessons after spotting four masked men near the 25-year-old said: "I mean, it's sad. It's awful. I lay awake last night. When there's kids involved it's upsetting."It shouldn't be happening. There was no need for the violence."In a statement, a council spokesperson said they were "assessing the significant damage" and that "the centre remains closed". — BBC
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Supreme Court gender ruling sees clash at Stormont assembly
Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly have clashed over the UK Supreme Court ruling that a woman is defined in law by biological ruling was raised for debate by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) assembly member Jonathan Buckley, who described it as a moment of "truth, clarity and common sense".First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she has "sought advice" from officials on how the judgment may apply in Northern Sinn Féin vice-president said "these are complex issues" and encouraged people to "demonstrate some compassion for the LGBTQ community". The Supreme Court ruling has significant implications for single-sex spaces in Great Britain, such as female changing rooms and court had been asked to decide on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act, which applies across Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland's Equality Commission has said it aims to publish new formal guidance in in the assembly, Buckley welcomed the "unanimous, landmark ruling".He added: "How ridiculous have things become that it took the UK Supreme Court to rule on the definition of a woman - something that the vast majority of people already knew the answer to."The member of the legislative assembly (MLA) accused other Stormont parties of promoting a "warped and dangerous ideology" on gender issues.O'Neill called for "sensitivity" in the debate, saying that transgender people were "feeling quite attacked right now"."These are complex issues and we need to work our way through the outworking of the Supreme Court ruling," she Sinn Féin MLA added: "We ourselves have sought advice from our own officials."We await the Equality Commission's ruling and guidance because I think that will be important for everybody in terms of how we would respond to this in a wider way." Alliance Party MLA Nuala McAllister said the court ruling "must not be used to fuel division or hostility"."We have seen those divisive culture wars, filled with misinformation, result in real-world consequences, with hate crimes against the trans community rising in recent years across the globe," she said the ruling "has not provided clarity around its real-world implications"."Any response here in Northern Ireland should be carefully considered," she Unionist Party (UUP) Doug Beattie said the trans community remained a protected group under the said the court ruling was about "privacy, safety and dignity" and "above all, it's about women's rights"."Women wanting their own space at sport, groups, refuges, hospital wards or toilets should never be viewed as controversial," he said "clear, detailed guidance" was now needed from the Equality Commission in Northern Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) assembly member Matthew O'Toole, leader of the opposition at Stormont, said the debate had become "tragically toxic".He said the "hard-fought rights of women" and those of the transgender community "do not have to be in competition or in opposition with one another"."That judgment does not render invisible or meaningless the lives and experiences of trans people," he said some of the debate had "drifted into stigmatising and humiliating those people".
