Latest news with #MrLyons
Sky News
a day ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Charges over Ballymena riots as centre housing foreign families attacked
Three teenagers have been charged with rioting in Ballymena - as a community centre housing migrant families affected by the violence was attacked. An 18-year-old man, and two boys aged 15 and 17, are expected to appear before Ballymena Magistrates' Court today. The 15-year-old has also been charged with criminal damage. Two other teenage boys who were arrested during the disorder have been released on bail, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said. Masked youths attacked Larne Leisure Centre and set it on fire on Wednesday evening after it emerged some of the foreign families fleeing the rioting were being temporarily held there. There have been calls for Northern Ireland's communities minister to resign after he was accused of inflaming tensions in a social media post. Prior to the attack, he wrote he had been made aware individuals had been "temporarily moved" to the building "following the disturbances in Ballymena", which is around 25 minutes away. Police said ethnic minorities had been targeted in the violence, which they have described as "racist thuggery". 1:52 Mr Lyons said in his post: "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." He added: "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. "Protesting is of course a legitimate right, but violence is not and I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful." 2:46 Some politicians have said Mr Lyons should be considering his position, while Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said it was not helpful to publicise where people had been moved. Asked if he should still be in his job, he told the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme: "Absolutely." He insisted the information was already in the "public domain". Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the leisure centre had been designated as an emergency rest centre, but the families had been safely relocated elsewhere.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Rioters set fire to leisure centre in Northern Ireland
A third night of unrest erupted in Northern Ireland on Wednesday when rioters set a leisure centre on fire. Balaclava-clad youths targeted the sports facility in Larne, Co Antrim, after it emerged that people displaced by previous violence were temporarily housed there. The seaside town is 20 miles to the east of Ballymena, where anti-migrant disorder was triggered by the alleged attempted rape of a schoolgirl at the hands of two Romanian-speaking teenagers. Footage showed flames engulfing the glass-fronted leisure centre, where windows had been smashed by projectiles. Tracksuit-wearing rioters attacked the building the day after it was used as a temporary shelter for the residents of houses targeted in Ballymena on Tuesday night. There was also fresh unrest in Ballymena, with crowds hurling bottles and rocks at riot police in the town centre. Mid and East Antrim borough council confirmed it had used the leisure centre as an 'emergency shelter for families in urgent need following disturbances in Ballymena'. 'The families have all been safely relocated,' a spokesman said. Mr Lyons later added: 'Wanton destruction such as the attack on Larne Leisure Centre is an attack on all residents who use the facility. There is absolutely no excuse for what has taken place in Larne, and it must be condemned.' In Ballymena, police in full riot gear clashed with rioters as a crowd of approximately 500 people gathered. Police in full riot gear with shields attempted to clear the crowds as bottles and rocks were thrown at them. On Tuesday, the second night of violence in Ballymena saw rioters set alight properties where foreigners were believed to live and attack police with petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks. The riots were condemned as 'racist thuggery' by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) after residents were forced to display the British flag on their homes in attempts to avoid them being set alight. A water cannon, dogs and rubber bullets were used by officers to contain the 'serious disorder' in Ballymena. Unrest also erupted in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey earlier in the evening. Police have arrested six suspected rioters so far. The two 14-year-old boys charged with attempted rape will next appear in court on July 2.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Planet Normal: ‘The numbers don't add up' in Rachel Reeves' spending review
Mr Lyons wasn't convinced by the numbers, ' Early in her speech the Chancellor said, is the plan credible, and the answer unfortunately is, no.' 'T he starting position is debt is very high, and I think we're in the early stages of Britain going into a debt crisis. If you're looking for good news, it might be that we're not the only country facing this problem; but today the Chancellor gave a speech that I think lacked a lot of the detail.' Allison is not convinced by the claims the economy is stabilising, ' We know it is not true, and we are already starting to see the impact on employment and on businesses. We know payrolls have fallen, that employment's fallen by over 250,000 since Rachel Reeves' budget. This is not an economy where you should be taking the gambles that she's taking. Where is the growth going to come from?'
