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| Northern Ireland minister rejects call to resign as political unity over riots cracks | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| DUP’s Gordon Lyons criticised for social media post about leisure centre before it was set on fire by masked attackers | |
| A minister in Northern Ireland has rejected calls to resign, as the display of political unity amid three nights of violence fractured after a leisure centre in Larne was set on fire. | |
| Staff and customers, including children learning to swim, were in the building at the time. The attack coincided with violent scenes amid tensions over immigration in the nearby town of Ballymena. | Staff and customers, including children learning to swim, were in the building at the time. The attack coincided with violent scenes amid tensions over immigration in the nearby town of Ballymena. |
| Before Wednesday’s attack on the leisure centre, the DUP communities minister, Gordon Lyons, posted on social media that the building had been used to accommodate several people who had fled Ballymena, about 30 minutes away. | Before Wednesday’s attack on the leisure centre, the DUP communities minister, Gordon Lyons, posted on social media that the building had been used to accommodate several people who had fled Ballymena, about 30 minutes away. |
| “As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP colleagues were made aware or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon,” he added. “Protesting is of course a legitimate right but I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful.” | “As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP colleagues were made aware or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon,” he added. “Protesting is of course a legitimate right but I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful.” |
| His remarks have been criticised by other political parties. The Sinn Féin finance minister, John O’Dowd, called on Lyons to consider his position and said he had “failed to show leadership”. | His remarks have been criticised by other political parties. The Sinn Féin finance minister, John O’Dowd, called on Lyons to consider his position and said he had “failed to show leadership”. |
| Matthew O’Toole, the SDLP and opposition leader, said he would refer Lyons to the standards commission. “The actions of the communities minister cannot be ignored,” he said. “He is the minister responsible for the housing executive and lives are at stake.” | Matthew O’Toole, the SDLP and opposition leader, said he would refer Lyons to the standards commission. “The actions of the communities minister cannot be ignored,” he said. “He is the minister responsible for the housing executive and lives are at stake.” |
| Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, also called on Lyons to reflect on his comments. | Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, also called on Lyons to reflect on his comments. |
| The Sinn Féin first minister, Michelle O’Neill, and the DUP deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, appeared together on Wednesday to condemn the violence. Echoing comments from the police, O’Neill said: “It’s pure racism, there’s no other way to dress it up.” Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as “utter thuggery”. | The Sinn Féin first minister, Michelle O’Neill, and the DUP deputy first minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, appeared together on Wednesday to condemn the violence. Echoing comments from the police, O’Neill said: “It’s pure racism, there’s no other way to dress it up.” Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as “utter thuggery”. |
| Lyons has defended himself, telling the BBC that his message “was posted because rumours had been circulating that the leisure centre was being turned into a permanent centre” and that was no longer the case. He said he was trying to defuse the situation. | Lyons has defended himself, telling the BBC that his message “was posted because rumours had been circulating that the leisure centre was being turned into a permanent centre” and that was no longer the case. He said he was trying to defuse the situation. |
| More anti-immigration protests are reportedly planned. A housing association in Portadown has urged tenants to stay with friends ahead of an expected protest in the town. | More anti-immigration protests are reportedly planned. A housing association in Portadown has urged tenants to stay with friends ahead of an expected protest in the town. |