On the second night of unrest in Northern Ireland’s Ballymena, hundreds of masked rioters engaged in what police describe as “racially motivated” disorder following a protest over an alleged sexual assault. The rioters attacked police, set homes and cars ablaze, and used Molotov cocktails, steel scaffolding poles, and rocks against officers. This violence, which saw one house burned out and attempts to set another alight, alongside numerous cars being set on fire, has prompted residents to mark their homes to indicate nationality to avoid attacks. The situation in Ballymena, a town with a substantial migrant population, has been tense, with some describing the scenes as “terrifying” and indicating that the violence targeted “foreigners.”
The unrest began after a vigil in the neighbourhood where the alleged assault occurred, with individuals breaking away to erect barricades, collect weapons, and attack properties. Two boys charged with the attempted rape of a teenage girl had appeared in court, requesting a Romanian interpreter. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is investigating the events as hate attacks, reporting that 15 officers were injured, some requiring hospital treatment. Tensions remain high in Ballymena, with concerns about the welfare and integration of its minority ethnic community.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/11/police-injured-houses-burned-in-second-night-of-riots-in-northern-ireland?traffic_source=rss
