Anti-immigrant riots rock Northern Ireland for third night

LONDON

A third consecutive night of violence has plunged Ballymena and surrounding towns into crisis, as rioters attacked police, torched vehicles, and targeted immigrant communities.

The unrest, triggered by the arrest of two local teenage boys in connection with an alleged sexual assault earlier this week, has intensified nightly. Police officers have come under sustained assault from petrol bombs, bricks, and fireworks, with over 30 injured in Ballymena and neighboring towns. Vehicles have been destroyed, immigrant families forced from their homes, and businesses shuttered in fear of further attacks.

Meanwhile, in Larne, masked youths attacked Larne Leisure Centre on the third night of disorder. Windows were smashed and fires set inside the building. Social media posts had earlier falsely claimed that migrants displaced from Ballymena were being temporarily housed there. It is understood that no one was inside the building at the time of the attack.

Immigrant communities, particularly from the Philippines and Eastern Europe, have reported threats, vandalism, and displacement. Some families have boarded up homes or displayed national flags to deter attackers. One Filipino household was trapped indoors after their car was set alight.

The unrest was triggered by public anger following the arrest of two local 14-year-old boys in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl on June 7 in Ballymena’s Clonavon Terrace area. Despite police confirming the suspects are local, misinformation online has fueled racially charged violence.

Speaking at a press conference, Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said authorities were still assessing the nature of the violence. “At this point, it's not clear to us or through intelligence or what we're hearing if there's paramilitary coordination to it,” Henderson said, referring to shadow paramilitary groups still active in the country with a bitter past with sectarian violence between nationalist Catholics and unionist Protestants.

Police are now reviewing surveillance footage and considering additional support from forces in Britain. The violence has spread beyond Ballymena to towns including Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, and Coleraine, where riot control measures have been deployed.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly issued a joint condemnation, calling the attacks “orchestrated racist thuggery.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also urged calm and support for the justice process.

It has been announced that Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn is planning to visit Ballymena to assess the situation firsthand.

Community groups and civic leaders are working to support displaced families and ease tensions as the region remains on edge.