Disorder after alleged sex assault was 'racist thuggery', say police

Police have said 15 officers were injured in disorder in Ballymena which they described as "racist thuggery, pure and simple" and targeted at ethnic minorities and law enforcement.

Violence broke out following an earlier peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town.

A 29-year-old man who was arrested has been charged with riotous behaviour, disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police.

North Antrim MP Jim Allister said the violence was "very distressing".

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader said the "context" for the initial protest was that there had been "significant demographic change in the area" because of "unfettered immigration".

Earlier on Monday, two teenage boys appeared before Coleraine Magistrates' Court accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Ballymena.

They spoke through an interpreter in Romanian to confirm their names and ages.

Their solicitor said they would be denying the charges.

The prime minister's official spokesman described the events in Ballymena as "very concerning".

"Obviously, the reports of an [alleged] sexual assault in the area are extremely distressing, but there is no justification for attacks on police officers while they continue to protect local communities," they said.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told a news conference that some people were "clearly intent on violence" on Monday night.

"The fact that they had some weaponry ready to throw at police would say to me that there was some degree of pre-planning from those involved," he said.

ACC Henderson said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had no information to suggest more violence was likely.

He said there would be more arrests to follow and his officers were working to identify those responsible, examining video and online footage.

In an earlier statement, the assistant chief constable said his officers would be speaking to people affected to support and reassure them.

He added there would be a "significant" policing presence in the town in the coming days.

"I would strongly urge anyone who was involved in yesterday's violent disorder to reflect long and hard about their actions, they will have consequences. I also appeal for calm," he said.

Hundreds of people took part in a peaceful march hours after the court appearance.

The crowd of men, women and children gathered close to the town centre and walked along Larne Street and then Queen Street.

Later in the day, violence broke out.

Police said it began when a number of people wearing masks broke away from the peaceful protest and began to build barricades and attack properties on Clonavon Terrace.

Over several hours people threw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police and two patrol vehicles were damaged.

Police said they fired one baton round, which hit a rioter.

Six homes in total were attacked, with four of them damaged by fire and three people evacuated.

A number of businesses were damaged with windows and doors smashed.

Some of the injured police officers required hospital treatment.

Alliance assembly member Sian Mulholland told MLAs at Stormont that a family with three young children had to "barricade themselves into their attic".

She said they feared they were going to be attacked "as they heard people rampage in the downstairs".

"It is only by the grace of God, and by the actions of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the fire service last night, that we are not looking at something more serious," Mulholland said.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA for North Antrim Paul Frew condemned those responsible for the disorder and called for calm.

Frew said his thoughts were with "the victim of the sexual assault with whom the community gathered to stand in solidarity".

"That powerful message must not be lost or diluted by those who choose destruction over justice. I feared this would happen," Frew said.

"For weeks and months, I have been warning about rising tensions, and sadly those warnings have now come true.

"There is no justification for what happened. Violence is always wrong."

Jim Allister's comments about Monday night's disorder were criticised in the assembly by Matthew O'Toole of the Social Democratic and Labour Party.

He accused the TUV leader of "conflating a whole range of issues in a way that is deeply irresponsible and deeply unhelpful".

O'Toole said politicians had a "responsibility to use our office and our platform wisely, to give leadership to people who want leadership, not to simply use an appalling act of violence against a young woman to inflame tensions".

Sinn Féin's Philip McGuigan, who also represents North Antrim, described the violence as disgraceful.

He appealed for calm and urged political leaders to "use measured language and avoid stoking tensions".

He added that the "thugs who set out to cause havoc and misery last night must be brought to justice".

McGuigan said the police needed to be allowed to continue their investigations into the alleged sexual assault.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was "absolutely appalled by the disturbing scenes".

"There is absolutely no place in our society for such disorder and there can be no justification for it," she said.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland said the attacks on officers were "totally mindless, unacceptable and feral".

Federation chairman Liam Kelly said he had no doubt that police officers "prevented a pogrom with consequences too painful to contemplate".

Police are also investigating a report of arson in Tobar Park in Cullybackey in the early hours of Tuesday.

Officers said that shortly after 00:20 BST a petrol bomb was thrown at a vehicle which went on fire.

Damage was caused to a nearby property, with a woman and two children inside.

There were no reports of any injuries and it is also being dealt with as a racially-motivated hate crime.

According to Northern Ireland Assembly research published earlier this year, about 293,000 long-term international migrants arrived in Northern Ireland between 2001 and 2023.

During that same time period 231,000 left, meaning there was a total net international migration of 62,000 people in just over two decades.

Poland, Ireland and Romania are the countries from which the highest number of migrants have come to Northern Ireland.

About 3.5% of the population in Northern Ireland are from an ethnic minority.

That compares to more than 18% in England and Wales and about 13% in Scotland.

In the Mid and East Antrim council area, which includes Ballymena, the 2021 census said the area's population was just under 139,000 people.

According to the assembly research, the net number of international migrants who have moved into the area between 2001 and 2022 was 4,900.