Riots Rock Ballymena for Second Night
Masked rioters unleashed another wave of violence in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena on Tuesday night, setting fire to homes and vehicles and clashing with police for the second consecutive evening. The unrest follows a local protest over an alleged sexual assault that has since escalated into chaos.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) reported dealing with “serious disorder” and urged residents to avoid the area. Located just 45 kilometers (30 miles) from Belfast, Ballymena became the epicenter of intense confrontations that saw police deploying water cannons and plastic baton rounds.
Homes Torched, Officers Attacked
According to Reuters, rioters armed with petrol bombs, scaffolding, and rocks attacked officers and properties throughout the town. A house was completely burned out, and one police officer vomited from smoke inhalation after escaping a building targeted by arsonists.
Cars were also torched, with at least one flipped upside down and engulfed in flames. Sirens echoed through the streets past midnight as emergency services battled to regain control.
Monday’s Violence Branded Hate Crime
The violent scenes follow Monday’s unrest, where four houses were damaged and businesses were vandalized. Authorities are treating the incidents as racially-motivated hate attacks, raising concerns over rising tensions in the region.
Fifteen police officers were injured during Monday’s riots, several of whom required hospital treatment. Meanwhile, local media reported that charges related to the protests were read to teenage suspects via an interpreter, hinting at the ethnic dimension of the attacks.
Condemnation from Officials
The violence has drawn condemnation from political leaders. Britain’s Northern Ireland Minister, Hilary Been, took to X to denounce the riots, writing: “The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland.”
Smaller protests were reported in parts of Belfast earlier on Tuesday, but they remained peaceful and did not lead to additional violence, according to another Reuters witness.
