Latest news with #pro-British
1News
2 days ago
- Politics
- 1News
What to know as anti-immigrant violence flares in Northern Ireland town
Police in Northern Ireland say 17 officers were injured during a second night of anti-immigrant violence in the town of Ballymena, where rioters threw bricks, bottles, petrol bombs and fireworks and set several vehicles and houses on fire. Police used water cannon and fired rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of several hundred people. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said Wednesday that the violence died down by about 1am (local time). Five people were arrested on suspicion of "riotous behaviour". What sparked the violence? Riot police wear armour and carrying shields in Ballymena, as people take part in a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town. (Source: Associated Press) Violence erupted Monday after a peaceful march to show support for the family of the victim of an alleged sexual assault on the weekend. Two 14-year-old boys have been charged. ADVERTISEMENT The suspects have not been identified because of their age. They were supported in court by a Romanian interpreter. After the march, a crowd of mostly young people set several houses on fire and pelted police with projectiles. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 15 officers were injured that night. There were similar scenes after dark on Tuesday, as well as small pockets of disorder in several other Northern Ireland towns. Police said agitators on social media were helping fuel what Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson called "racist thuggery". What is the background? In this image taken from PA Video, people protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland. (Source: Associated Press) Some politicians said immigration had strained the town of about 30,000 some 40km northwest of Belfast, long known as a bastion of hard-line pro-British Loyalism. ADVERTISEMENT Jim Allister, leader of the conservative party Traditional Unionist Voice, said "unchecked migration, which is beyond what the town can cope with, is a source of past and future tensions". Some Romanians in Ballymena told Britain's PA news agency they had lived in the town for years and were shocked by the violence. Several houses in the Clonavon Terrace area that was the focus of the violence put up signs identifying their residents as British or Filipino in an apparent attempt to avoid being targeted. Henderson said there was no evidence that Loyalist paramilitaries, who still hold sway over Protestant communities, were behind the disorder. Has this happened before? Emergency services work outside a house in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, as people protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town. (Source: Associated Press) Northern Ireland has a long history of street disorder stretching back to tensions between the British unionist and Irish nationalist communities. ADVERTISEMENT Though three decades of violence known as "the Troubles" largely ended after a 1998 peace accord, tensions remain between those — largely Protestants — who see themselves as British and Irish nationalists, who are mostly Catholic. In Belfast, "peace walls" still separate working-class Protestant and Catholic areas. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including passengers stuck on ferry overnight, new flights to Sydney coming, and the weirdest things we leave in Ubers. (Source: 1News) Street rioters sporadically clash with police, and recently immigrants have become a target. Anti-immigrant violence erupted in Northern Ireland as well as England last year after three girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the northwest England town of Southport. Authorities said online misinformation wrongly identifying the UK-born teenage attacker as a migrant played a part. What will happen next? A burnt-out overturned car on the street following a second night of violence during a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town. (Source: Associated Press) Police condemned the latest violence and said they would call in officers from England and Wales to bolster their response if needed. All the parties in Northern Ireland's power-sharing government issued a joint statement appealing for calm and urging people to reject "the divisive agenda being pursued by a minority of destructive, bad faith actors". On the alleged sexual assault, the statement added that "it is paramount that the justice process is now allowed to take its course so that this heinous crime can be robustly investigated. Those weaponising the situation in order to sow racial tensions do not care about seeing justice and have nothing to offer their communities but division and disorder."
Global News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
A Northern Ireland town has seen 2 nights of anti-immigrant violence. Why?
Police in Northern Ireland say 17 officers were injured during a second night of anti-immigrant violence in the town of Ballymena, where rioters threw bricks, bottles, petrol bombs and fireworks and set several vehicles and houses on fire. Police used water cannon and fired rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of several hundred people. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said Wednesday that the violence died down by about 1 a.m. local time (0000GMT). Five people were arrested on suspicion of 'riotous behavior.' What sparked the violence? Violence erupted Monday after a peaceful march to show support for the family of the victim of an alleged sexual assault last weekend. Two 14-year-old boys have been charged. Story continues below advertisement The suspects have not been identified because of their age. They were supported in court by a Romanian interpreter. After the march, a crowd of mostly young people set several houses on fire and pelted police with projectiles. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 15 officers were injured that night. There were similar scenes after dark on Tuesday, as well as small pockets of disorder in several other Northern Ireland towns. Police said agitators on social media were helping fuel what Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson called 'racist thuggery.' View image in full screen In this image taken from PA Video of a vehicle on fire near Clonavon Terrace, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, as people take part in a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town, Tuesday June 10, 2025. (Niall Carson/PA via AP). View image in full screen This image taken from PA Video shows riot police wearing armour and carrying shields at Clonavon Terrace, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, as people take part in a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Niall Carson/PA via AP). What is the background? Some politicians said immigration had strained the town of about 30,000 some 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Belfast, long known as a bastion of hardline pro-British Loyalism. Story continues below advertisement Jim Allister, leader of the conservative party Traditional Unionist Voice, said 'unchecked migration, which is beyond what the town can cope with, is a source of past and future tensions.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Some Romanians in Ballymena told Britain's PA news agency they had lived in the town for years and were shocked by the violence. Several houses in the Clonavon Terrace area that was the focus of the violence put up signs identifying their residents as British or Filipino in an apparent attempt to avoid being targeted. Henderson said there was no evidence that Loyalist paramilitaries, who still hold sway over Protestant communities, were behind the disorder. View image in full screen People take part in a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland,, Tuesday June 10, 2025. (Niall Carson/PA via AP). View image in full screen People take part in a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Niall Carson/PA via AP). View image in full screen Emergency services work outside a house in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, as people protest over an alleged sexual assault in the Co Antrim town, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, and police used water cannons to disperse protesters engaged in serious disorder for a second night. (Niall Carson/PA via AP). Has this happened before? Northern Ireland has a long history of street disorder stretching back to tensions between the British unionist and Irish nationalist communities. Story continues below advertisement Though three decades of violence known as 'the Troubles' largely ended after a 1998 peace accord, tensions remain between those — largely Protestants — who see themselves as British and Irish nationalists, who are mostly Catholic. In Belfast, 'peace walls' still separate working-class Protestant and Catholic areas. Street rioters sporadically clash with police, and recently immigrants have become a target. Anti-immigrant violence erupted in Northern Ireland as well as England last year after three girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the northwest England town of Southport. Authorities said online misinformation wrongly identifying the U.K.-born teenage attacker as a migrant played a part in that violence. 2:07 Hundreds arrested in U.K. far-right riots after deadly stabbing rampage at Taylor Swift-themed dance class What will happen next? Police condemned the latest violence and said they would call in officers from England and Wales to bolster their response if needed. Story continues below advertisement All the parties in Northern Ireland's power-sharing government issued a joint statement appealing for calm and urging people to reject 'the divisive agenda being pursued by a minority of destructive, bad faith actors.' On the alleged sexual assault, the statement added that 'it is paramount that the justice process is now allowed to take its course so that this heinous crime can be robustly investigated. Those weaponizing the situation in order to sow racial tensions do not care about seeing justice and have nothing to offer their communities but division and disorder.'
Daily Mail
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The balaclava-clad rap group accused of glorifying the IRA: 'Anti-British' Belfast trio Kneecap's most controversial moments as they face terror probe over 'pro-Hamas' chants
Their 'tiresome' stunts include apparently chanting in support of terror groups and joking about burning pro-British political leaders. Kneecap are also known to shout Republican slogans used by the IRA, have mocked the death of Queen Elizabeth II and called for 'Brits out of Ireland'. But despite the controversy Northern Irish rap group Kneecap has won a legion of young fans packing out sold out gigs - and stars including Cillian Murphy appear to be falling over themselves to pose in pictures with them. Sir Elton John has called them extraordinary and praised their political brand of music, while left-winger Jeremy Corbyn called them inspiring. The rap trio from West Belfast are Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Og O Hannaidh, Moglai Bap, whose real name is Naoise O Caireallain, and DJ Provai, whose full name is JJ O Dochartaigh. Known for their wild gigs, much of the buzz around the band, who rap in Irish and English and one member wears a balaclava, has come from their outlandish behaviour and stunts. Police are understood to be investigating them over at least two incidents at their gigs around the world over the past two months, including decapitated head from a King George V statue appearing on stage. Anti-terror detectives in London are also probing footage where they appear to be leading pro-Hamas chants at a concert where they also appeared to yell with the crowd: 'Ooh ahh Hezbollah'. While their fans appear to lap up the controversy, their stunts have been branded 'predictable and tiresome' by politicians in their native Northern Ireland. Terror police step in after 'pro-Hamas' and 'Ooh ahh Hezbollah' chants at concert The Irish Republican rap group Kneecap are being investigated by counter-terrorism police after allegedly leading pro-Hamas chants at a concert. Videos emerged over the weekend from a gig in North London last November during which one of the band members appeared to shout 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. The clips filmed at the O2 Forum Kentish Town also saw the band seemingly lead the audience in a chant of 'ooh ahh Hezbollah', with one draped in the terror group's flag. Three videos from the gig were posted by Danny Morris from Jewish charity the Community Security Trust across Sunday and Monday before being widely shared. It comes after Kneecap used their Coachella set in California earlier this month to show messages such as 'f*** Israel, free Palestine ' and chant 'free, free Palestine'. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required.' The CTIRU is a national counter-terrorism policing unit based within the Met's counter-terrorism command which identifies terrorist and extremist material online. The unit works with service providers to get such material removed, and police can also carry out an investigation into whether the material breaches UK terrorism law. Kneecap appear to have given their support to Hamas last November in London at their concert @O2ForumKTown. One member, draped in a Hezbollah flag, shouted to the crowd "up Hamas, up Hezbollah". Watch below 🎥 — Danny Morris (@DannyMMorris) April 21, 2025 Hamas and Hezbollah are both proscribed terror organisations, and it is a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 to 'invite support' for either group. A Community Security Trust spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Hizbollah is a dangerous terrorist organisation with a long record of violence and terror, both targeting Jews around the world and in Syria during the civil war. 'Hamas is a banned terrorist group responsible for appalling atrocities on October 7, including the slaughter, rape and kidnapping of music lovers at the Nova festival. 'It is utterly disgraceful for them to be lauded from a London stage, with the whole crowd encouraged to show their support. We fully expect the police to investigate this thoroughly and take appropriate action.' 'F*** Israel, free Palestine' slogans and celebrating Margaret Thatcher's death at Coachella Sharon Osbourne was amongst those who have called for Kneecap to lose the chance to enter the US visa over messages displayed on the band's stage at Coachella, which included 'f*** Israel, free Palestine'. The slogans added that 'the Irish are not so longer persecuted under the Brits, but we were never bombed under the f***ing skies with nowhere to go.' Coachella organisers were said to have been 'blindsided' by the group's declarations – but Osborne and the widespread US media coverage was cynical about such claims, noting that the group had spread such messages before. Kneecap also led the Coachella crowd in a rendition of a chant aimed at former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, singing 'Maggie's in a Box' to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band's hit 'Give It Up.' Police probe as vandalised King George statue's 'missing head' appears on stage at Melbourne gig months after it was targeted in anti-colonial protests Police in Australia began investigating how the missing decapitated head from a historic statue of King George V ended up on stage with anti-colonial Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap in Australia. The crowd at the gig in Melbourne booed the Royal Family as it was unveiled and then cheered as one band member declared: 'He's the first royal at a Kneecap gig, and will be the last'. Kneecap, from West Belfast, also shared images of the head, which has been missing for nine months, on social media with the caption: 'Remember every colony can fall.' Australian police had been unable to track down the bronze head since it was cleaved off last June but it popped up at Kneecap's Melbourne performance on Friday night. No one has ever been arrested over the criminal damage. A spokesman said: 'Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives continue to investigate damage to a statue in Kings Domain last year. Investigators are also aware that the head from what appears to be a statue appeared at a concert in Melbourne on March 14'. Back in 2020, the group's 'Farewell to the Union' tour was promoted with an image of then prime minister Boris Johnson and former DUP leader Arlene Foster strapped to a rocket on top of a burning bonfire, as two band members crouched at the bottom holding a petrol bomb. And in 2022 the group shouted 'Brits out of Ireland' as they unveiled a mural of a burning police Land Rover above the Irish language slogan: 'No welcome for the RUC.' The image provoked horror in Northern Ireland, where more than 300 members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary were murdered in terror attacks during the Troubles. When they met Jeremy Corbyn in December 2023, two months after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, the former Labour leader told them: 'Thanks guys for what you do in inspiring so many people.' Raking in vast sums of UK taxpayers' cash while supporting a united Ireland The band was in dispute with now-Tory leader Kemi Badenoch when the group launched a discrimination case. The trio were blocked by the former Conservative government from receiving a grant aimed at supporting UK artists, despite their application being successful. The Department of Business and Trade, which was headed by Ms Badenoch at the time, said they did not want to give taxpayers' money to people who 'oppose the United Kingdom itself'. The group took legal action against the government, claiming the decision was discriminatory and won in November 2024, receiving £14,250 – the total amount of the original grant. The trio donated the money to two youth organisations in Belfast, splitting it between a nationalist and a unionist area. In 2024, the band released an eponymous debut film starring Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender which is a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together. The film was nominated for six Baftas and took home the award for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer. It was also among the big winners at the Irish Film and Television Academy (Ifta), scooping four awards including best director for Rich Peppiatt. But victims of Republican and Loyalist terror atrocities later said they were appalled that vast sums of taxpayers' and National Lottery cash was spent on the movie. The project received £810,000 from the National Lottery in four payments via the British Film Institute. It also received £805,000 in public money from Northern Ireland Screen, including a large chunk from the UK taxpayer funded Irish Language Broadcast Fund.
Telegraph
31-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
It's time to drop any lingering illusions about the ‘special relationship'
SIR – Following Donald Trump's threat that US tariffs will hit all countries ( March 31), despite Britain's efforts to secure a deal, I trust our politicians will finally accept that we have no 'special relationship' with America. The reality is that President Trump's only special relationship is with money. Geoffrey Boyd Fowey, Cornwall SIR – Amid the looming threat of a global trade war (Leading Article, March 31), Britain needs to adopt a robust approach to protect its economic interests. Businesses must be supported and trade partnerships enhanced. Let's not succumb to fear; instead, we should cultivate innovation and resilience, hallmarks of a thriving economy. Alastair Majury Dunblane, Perthshire SIR – When Donald Trump said he would end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, I thought he meant that the threat of overwhelming American strength would ensure compliance ('Trump lashes out at Putin over ceasefire delay', report, March 31). I wonder when it will dawn on him that Vladimir Putin, like all dictators in history, regards offers of friendship as a joke, and responds only to threats backed by force. Tony Jones London SW7 SIR – Donald Trump's allegiances have become ever more difficult to discern. We appear to have witnessed the leader of the free world growing indifferent to Western allies – irritated by them, indeed – yet spellbound by his Russian counterpart, even if he now claims to be 'p----- off' with him. Mr Trump may consider himself master of the deal, but Vladimir Putin has been calling the shots while Europe reels at the chaotic and bizarre situation unfolding. It still seems likely that the final outcome of the peace negotiations will reward the aggressor. Next stop for Mr Trump is Greenland – just another real estate deal, whether the residents like it or not. David Platts Newark, Nottinghamshire SIR – Nile Gardiner (Comment, March 29) claims that Donald Trump is the most pro-British US president since Ronald Reagan. Reagan supported Nato and opposed tyranny in Moscow. The same cannot really be said of Mr Trump thus far. C D C Armstrong Belfast SIR – It was refreshing to hear President Trump embracing his British roots by saying that he was 'p----- off' with Putin, rather than dropping the 'off' as Americans usually do. Richard Bevan Whitton, Middlesex
Reuters
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
UK, Ireland may hold direct talks with remaining N.Ireland paramilitaries
BELFAST, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The British and Irish governments will explore whether to have talks with paramilitary groups that are still active and involved in crime in Northern Ireland to encourage them to disband, Britain's minister for the region said on Tuesday. While the 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended 30 years of sectarian violence and led to the disarming of large Irish Republican and pro-British loyalist militant groups, splinter factions still engage in paramilitary and criminal activities. The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC), which monitors paramilitary groups, said on Tuesday that such groups continue to exert control over some communities, including through intimidation, financial extortion and drug dealing. It repeated a recommendation that the two governments, which are the guarantors of the peace deal, should directly engage with paramilitary groups. The governments agreed to appoint an independent expert to carry out a short scoping exercise to assess whether there is merit in such a formal process. "I want to be clear that this is not the start of a formal process itself," Britain's Northern Ireland minister Hilary Benn said in a statement. "I also want to be clear that no financial offer will be made to paramilitary groups or to the individuals involved in them in exchange for an end to violence and ongoing harms." Britain's MI5 intelligence agency last year lowered the threat level in Northern Ireland from domestic terrorism to "substantial", meaning an attack is likely, from "severe", which meant an attack was highly likely. In its seventh annual report on Tuesday, the IRC said that while there was a drop in shootings, bombings and paramilitary-style assaults last year, with political and policing actions having a real impact, paramilitary groups continue to persist and "remain a real concern".
