Violence in Northern Ireland escalated for the third night on Wednesday as clashes broke out between police and anti-immigrant rioters in Ballymena and surrounding areas. The turmoil began on Monday, with groups of masked individuals throwing petrol bombs and bricks at officers. In Larne, approximately 20 miles away, rioters set fire to a leisure center used to house families who had been displaced from Ballymena earlier in the week. Fortunately, local authorities ensured that the families were relocated to safety.
The unrest was triggered by a recent serious crime incident involving the alleged attempted assault of a teenage girl, which led to the arrest of two 14-year-old boys who were charged in court. This incident sparked outrage and was amplified on social media by far-right groups, further intensifying the already charged atmosphere and resulting in what police have labeled “hate-driven attacks.”
In response to the escalating violence, Northern Ireland’s joint power-sharing executive condemned the riots as “racially motivated violence.” The police reported injuries to at least 32 officers and requested assistance from other regions of the United Kingdom, including a deployment from Scotland.
As tensions reached a boiling point, residents observed the clashes from their homes while police used various crowd control methods, including water cannons. With further demonstrations anticipated, authorities are bracing for more unrest, especially with forecasts predicting poor weather conditions for the upcoming days.
