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| Ballymena: Police injured in disorder following alleged sex assault | Ballymena: Police injured in disorder following alleged sex assault |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Properties were set on fire in Ballymena | Properties were set on fire in Ballymena |
| Police have said 15 officers were injured in what they have described as "racially-motivated hate attacks" in Ballymena on Monday night. | |
| Disorder started following an earlier peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town. | Disorder started following an earlier peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town. |
| Alliance assembly member Sian Mulholland said a family with three young children had to "barricade themselves into their attic". | |
| A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of riotous and disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police. | A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of riotous and disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police. |
| North Antrim MP Jim Allister said the violence was "very distressing". | North Antrim MP Jim Allister said the violence was "very distressing". |
| The Traditional Unionist Voice leader said the "context" for the demonstration was that there had been "significant demographic change in the area" because of "unfettered immigration". | The Traditional Unionist Voice leader said the "context" for the demonstration 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. | 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. | They spoke through an interpreter in Romanian to confirm their names and ages. |
| Their solicitor said they would be denying the charges. | Their solicitor said they would be denying the charges. |
| Watch: Disorder breaks out in Ballymena on Monday night | Watch: Disorder breaks out in Ballymena on Monday night |
| What happened in Ballymena on Monday? | What happened in Ballymena on Monday? |
| Hundreds of people took part in a peaceful march hours after the court appearance. | 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. | 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. | Later in the day, violence broke out. |
| Police said it began when a number of masked individuals broke away from the peaceful protest and began to build barricades and attack properties on Clonavon Terrace. | Police said it began when a number of masked individuals broke away from the peaceful protest and began to build barricades and attack properties on Clonavon Terrace. |
| Over several hours people wearing masks threw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police and two PSNI vehicles were damaged. | Over several hours people wearing masks threw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police and two PSNI vehicles were damaged. |
| Police say they fired one baton round, which hit a rioter. | Police say 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. | 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. | A number of businesses were damaged with windows and doors smashed. |
| Some of the injured police officers required hospital treatment. | Some of the injured police officers required hospital treatment. |
| Family 'barricaded in attic' | Family 'barricaded in attic' |
| Alliance Party assembly member Sian Mulholland told MLAs she had been in telephone contact with a family with three young children who hid in their house. | |
| She said they feared "they were going to be attacked, as they heard people rampage in the downstairs". | |
| Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mulholland said: "It is only by the grace of God, and by the actions of the PSNI and the Fire Service last night, that we are not looking at something more serious." | Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mulholland said: "It is only by the grace of God, and by the actions of the PSNI and the Fire Service last night, that we are not looking at something more serious." |
| Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA for North Antrim Paul Frew has condemned those responsible for violent scenes and called for calm. | Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA for North Antrim Paul Frew has condemned those responsible for violent scenes and called for calm. |
| Frew said his thoughts are with "the victim of the sexual assault with whom the community gathered to stand in solidarity". | Frew said his thoughts are with "the victim of the sexual assault with whom the community gathered to stand in solidarity". |
| He added "that powerful message must not be lost or diluted by those who choose destruction over justice. I feared this would happen. For weeks and months, I have been warning about rising tensions, and sadly those warnings have now come true." | He added "that powerful message must not be lost or diluted by those who choose destruction over justice. I feared this would happen. For weeks and months, I have been warning about rising tensions, and sadly those warnings have now come true." |
| He said: "There is no justification for what happened. Violence is always wrong." | He said: "There is no justification for what happened. Violence is always wrong." |
| Jim Allister's comments about Monday night's disorder were condemned by the SDLP's Matthew O'Toole. | |
| He accused the TUV leader of "conflating a whole range of issues in a way that is deeply irresponsible and deeply unhelpful". | |
| He said politicians have 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, an assembly member for North Antrim, described the violence in Ballymena as "disgraceful". | Sinn Féin's Philip McGuigan, an assembly member for North Antrim, described the violence in Ballymena as "disgraceful". |
| Speaking at Stormont, he appealed for calm and urged political leaders to "use measured language and avoid stoking tensions". | Speaking at Stormont, he appealed for calm and urged political leaders to "use measured language and avoid stoking tensions". |
| Referencing the protests over an alleged sexual assault in the town, he said police must be allowed to "conduct their investigations thoroughly and for the courts to do their job". | Referencing the protests over an alleged sexual assault in the town, he said police must be allowed to "conduct their investigations thoroughly and for the courts to do their job". |
| He added that the "thugs who set out to cause havoc and misery last night must be brought to justice". | He added that the "thugs who set out to cause havoc and misery last night must be brought to justice". |
| 'Unacceptable and feral' | |
| The Police Federation for Northern Ireland said the "vicious" attacks on officers were "totally mindless, unacceptable and feral". | |
| The federation chair Liam Kelly said: "I have no doubt whatsoever that police officers – far too few because the service is starved of resources and officer numbers – prevented a pogrom with consequences too painful to contemplate. | |
| "I wish to commend the men and women of the PSNI who undoubtedly saved lives last night." | |
| Cullybackey arson attack | Cullybackey arson attack |
| Police are also investigating a report of arson in Tobar Park in Cullybackey in the early hours of Tuesday. | Police are also investigating a report of arson in Tobar Park in Cullybackey in the early hours of Tuesday. |
| Shortly after 00:20 BST, the PSNI said a petrol bomb had been thrown at a vehicle which caused it to set alight. | Shortly after 00:20 BST, the PSNI said a petrol bomb had been thrown at a vehicle which caused it to set alight. |
| Damage was caused to a nearby property, with a woman and two children inside. | 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. | There were no reports of any injuries and it is also being dealt with as a racially-motivated hate crime. |
| Large crowds gathered in Ballymena on Monday night | Large crowds gathered in Ballymena on Monday night |
| Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was "absolutely appalled by the disturbing scenes". | 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. | "There is absolutely no place in our society for such disorder and there can be no justification for it," she said. |
| In a statement the PSNI said it "strongly condemns" the violence, which was "clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police". | In a statement the PSNI said it "strongly condemns" the violence, which was "clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police". |
| Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: "We are engaging with groups affected by the disorder to support and reassure them." | Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: "We are engaging with groups affected by the disorder to support and reassure them." |
| He added there would be a "significant" policing presence in the town in the coming days. | 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." | "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." |
| International migration in Northern Ireland | |
| 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. | |
| If we look at ethnicity, about 3.5% of the population in Northern Ireland are from an ethnic minority. | |
| That compares to over 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. |