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| Belfast: Anti-racism rally held after days of violence | Belfast: Anti-racism rally held after days of violence |
| (8 days later) | |
| Unison's Nathalie Donnelly, who works with migrant workers, said they were terrified | Unison's Nathalie Donnelly, who works with migrant workers, said they were terrified |
| Demonstrators gathered in Belfast city centre to show support for Northern Ireland's migrant community following a week of disorder. | Demonstrators gathered in Belfast city centre to show support for Northern Ireland's migrant community following a week of disorder. |
| People in the crowd held signs with slogans such as "racists go home", "refugees are welcome" and "diversity makes us stronger". | People in the crowd held signs with slogans such as "racists go home", "refugees are welcome" and "diversity makes us stronger". |
| Violence started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena, County Antrim, and later spread to other areas. | Violence started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena, County Antrim, and later spread to other areas. |
| Two more men have been charged over rioting on Saturday - one a 23-year-old over disorder in Ballymena; the other a 20-year-old over violence in Portadown, County Armagh, on Friday night. | Two more men have been charged over rioting on Saturday - one a 23-year-old over disorder in Ballymena; the other a 20-year-old over violence in Portadown, County Armagh, on Friday night. |
| Both are due to appear in court on Monday, | Both are due to appear in court on Monday, |
| Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said "bigots and racists" were behind the rioting. | Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said "bigots and racists" were behind the rioting. |
| Speaking at the anti-racism rally at Belfast City Hall, Nathalie Donnelly from trade union Unison said she had colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds who were terrified and "basically hiding at home". | Speaking at the anti-racism rally at Belfast City Hall, Nathalie Donnelly from trade union Unison said she had colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds who were terrified and "basically hiding at home". |
| "They get to work in taxis, come home and hide in their own houses," she told BBC News NI. | "They get to work in taxis, come home and hide in their own houses," she told BBC News NI. |
| "We've got a small English class every week - half of the students didn't even dare to come out for the English class." | "We've got a small English class every week - half of the students didn't even dare to come out for the English class." |
| Ms Donnelly said even people who had lived in Northern Ireland for a long time had an "overwhelming sense of sadness and disgust at what is happening and are really questioning staying here". | Ms Donnelly said even people who had lived in Northern Ireland for a long time had an "overwhelming sense of sadness and disgust at what is happening and are really questioning staying here". |
| Ms Donnelly, who is originally from France, said she had "made Ireland [her] home" but she felt it was "no longer the Ireland that [she is] proud of". | Ms Donnelly, who is originally from France, said she had "made Ireland [her] home" but she felt it was "no longer the Ireland that [she is] proud of". |
| "We should make Ireland the island of a hundred thousand welcomes again," she said. | "We should make Ireland the island of a hundred thousand welcomes again," she said. |
| A crowd gathered in Belfast after days of violence | A crowd gathered in Belfast after days of violence |
| What happened on Friday night? | What happened on Friday night? |
| Friday night saw a fifth night of violence when police in Portadown, County Armagh, used water cannon to tackle rioters who were attacking them. | Friday night saw a fifth night of violence when police in Portadown, County Armagh, used water cannon to tackle rioters who were attacking them. |
| Officers were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. | Officers were targeted with petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry, bricks and bottles. |
| Police in Londonderry also dealt with disorder in the Tullyally area from Friday night into Saturday morning. | Police in Londonderry also dealt with disorder in the Tullyally area from Friday night into Saturday morning. |
| Damage was caused to playing fields and property in Killeavey Road in Newry in County Down when a large group of people set a pitch and bins on fire. | Damage was caused to playing fields and property in Killeavey Road in Newry in County Down when a large group of people set a pitch and bins on fire. |
| Stones were thrown at the windows of a hotel in Newtownabbey and a car was set on fire in Hesketh Gardens in Belfast, which police are treating a racially motivated hate crime. | Stones were thrown at the windows of a hotel in Newtownabbey and a car was set on fire in Hesketh Gardens in Belfast, which police are treating a racially motivated hate crime. |
| Police in Derry also dealt with disorder in the Tullyally area | Police in Derry also dealt with disorder in the Tullyally area |
| At the demo at City Hall, Belfast's deputy lord mayor said he wanted to show solidarity to people who had been targeted in the unrest. | At the demo at City Hall, Belfast's deputy lord mayor said he wanted to show solidarity to people who had been targeted in the unrest. |
| Representatives of other political parties and trade unions joined Paul Doherty at the event and there was a small police presence. | Representatives of other political parties and trade unions joined Paul Doherty at the event and there was a small police presence. |
| Doherty said the demonstration was about standing up to "racist thugs who have been on our streets intimidating and threatening families and driving them from their homes". | Doherty said the demonstration was about standing up to "racist thugs who have been on our streets intimidating and threatening families and driving them from their homes". |
| "We're speaking to people right across this city, indeed right across the north, who are afraid to walk down the street, who are afraid to bring their children to school, who are afraid to say hello to someone as they pass them on the street," he said. | "We're speaking to people right across this city, indeed right across the north, who are afraid to walk down the street, who are afraid to bring their children to school, who are afraid to say hello to someone as they pass them on the street," he said. |
| Belfast's Deputy Mayor Paul Doherty said the police should "step up" | Belfast's Deputy Mayor Paul Doherty said the police should "step up" |
| Doherty added that one parent told him their children were asking: "Daddy why do people hate us out there?" | Doherty added that one parent told him their children were asking: "Daddy why do people hate us out there?" |
| "Imagine children - five, six, seven years of age - asking their parents 'why do people hate us?' That's not the type of society we want in Belfast or across the north," he said. | "Imagine children - five, six, seven years of age - asking their parents 'why do people hate us?' That's not the type of society we want in Belfast or across the north," he said. |
| "We need to bring a stop to this." | "We need to bring a stop to this." |
| Doherty said the police and Northern Ireland Executive need to "step up" and "a better response" was needed from the PSNI. | Doherty said the police and Northern Ireland Executive need to "step up" and "a better response" was needed from the PSNI. |
| Pictures of suspects have been released by the police | Pictures of suspects have been released by the police |
| The force has said it will do all it can to bring people to justice and, on Friday, it issued images of people it wants to speak to in connection with the violence. | The force has said it will do all it can to bring people to justice and, on Friday, it issued images of people it wants to speak to in connection with the violence. |
| More PSNI officers were injured in Portadown on Friday night, with more than 60 hurt over the course of the past week. | More PSNI officers were injured in Portadown on Friday night, with more than 60 hurt over the course of the past week. |
| Police have made 21 arrests following disorder in various parts of Northern Ireland, with at least 13 charged. | Police have made 21 arrests following disorder in various parts of Northern Ireland, with at least 13 charged. |
| Four have appeared in court and been remanded in custody. | Four have appeared in court and been remanded in custody. |
| Timeline: How Northern Ireland riots unfolded | Timeline: How Northern Ireland riots unfolded |
| Cars were set on fire during the violence in Ballymena on Tuesday | Cars were set on fire during the violence in Ballymena on Tuesday |
| Monday | Monday |
| A peaceful protest is held in Ballymena, County Antrim, after two teenage boys appear before Coleraine Magistrates' Court accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. | A peaceful protest is held in Ballymena, County Antrim, after two teenage boys appear before Coleraine Magistrates' Court accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. |
| 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. |
| Later in the day, violence breaks out when a number of people wearing masks break away from the peaceful protest, build barricades and attack properties on Clonavon Terrace. | Later in the day, violence breaks out when a number of people wearing masks break away from the peaceful protest, build barricades and attack properties on Clonavon Terrace. |
| People throw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police. | People throw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police. |
| Tuesday | Tuesday |
| Protesters attack police during another night of disorder in Ballymena. Cars are set on fire and the windows of several houses are smashed. | Protesters attack police during another night of disorder in Ballymena. Cars are set on fire and the windows of several houses are smashed. |
| Police also deal with sporadic incidents of disorder in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus in County Antrim, and north Belfast. | Police also deal with sporadic incidents of disorder in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus in County Antrim, and north Belfast. |
| Wednesday | Wednesday |
| The worst of the disorder is again in Ballymena, but unrest also spreads to other towns. | The worst of the disorder is again in Ballymena, but unrest also spreads to other towns. |
| In Larne, County Antrim, masked youths attack a leisure centre and set it on fire. The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families. | In Larne, County Antrim, masked youths attack a leisure centre and set it on fire. The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families. |
| Police Scotland agrees to send officers to Northern Ireland to provide support. | Police Scotland agrees to send officers to Northern Ireland to provide support. |
| The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said that they attended the scene at Larne Leisure Centre at 20:54 BST | The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said that they attended the scene at Larne Leisure Centre at 20:54 BST |
| Thursday | Thursday |
| A fourth night of disorder, but at a lower level than seen earlier in the week. | A fourth night of disorder, but at a lower level than seen earlier in the week. |
| About 400 protestors gather in the centre of Portadown, County Armagh. Bricks and masonry are thrown at police. | About 400 protestors gather in the centre of Portadown, County Armagh. Bricks and masonry are thrown at police. |
| There is also a police presence in Ballymena, but the rioters stay away. | There is also a police presence in Ballymena, but the rioters stay away. |
| About 100 people turn up at an anti-racism protest in west Belfast, which passes off peacefully. | About 100 people turn up at an anti-racism protest in west Belfast, which passes off peacefully. |
| The home of a family with three children is set on fire in Coleraine. | The home of a family with three children is set on fire in Coleraine. |
| Friday | Friday |
| Police in Portadown use water cannon to tackle rioters but the violence is again at a lower level than earlier in the week. | Police in Portadown use water cannon to tackle rioters but the violence is again at a lower level than earlier in the week. |
| Police release photos of four suspects they want the public to help identify in connection with the disorder. | Police release photos of four suspects they want the public to help identify in connection with the disorder. |
| There is also violence in Derry, Newry, Newtownabbey and a car is set on fire in Belfast. | There is also violence in Derry, Newry, Newtownabbey and a car is set on fire in Belfast. |
| This story has been updated on 22 June 2025 to reflect the fact that the PSNI withdrew one of the images they had previously issued. |
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