2 h. ago The Ballymena violence has nothing to do with ‘protecting women’. It is racism, pure and simple | Sarah Creighton

Northern Ireland has always seen high levels of violence against women and girls. Blaming migrants is a useful way to distract from thatIn 1972, loyalist paramilitaries fired bullets into the home of a Catholic woman, Sarah McClenaghan. That night she was at home with her lodger, a Protestant, and her disabled teenage son, David. After forcing her son to get his mother’s rosary beads, proving that she was Catholic, a loyalist paramilitary raped Sarah. David was tortured. The gang then shot them both, David dying of his wounds.I thought about David and Sarah as I watched rolling news of the pogroms in Ballymena. I thought about them in light of the lie that violence against women and girls has been imported to Northern Ireland via migrants or asylum seekers. It’s always been here. Continue reading...

Events

10 h. ago Petrol bombs and fireworks launched at police as Ballymena riots spread across Northern Ireland in fifth night of violence after 'alleged attempted rape of local girl, 16, by two Romanian teens'

Crowds of masked thugs gathered in Portadown where a protest had been held earlier in the evening before it descended into carnage.

Events

17 h. ago The Guardian view on riots in Northern Ireland: racist violence does not express ‘legitimate grievance’ | Editorial

Politicians must analyse the forces behind mob unrest, but not in terms that make excuses for itA reputation for political violence is one reason Northern Ireland has historically attracted fewer immigrants than the rest of the UK. In that context, increasing diversity could be read as a measure of progress; a peace dividend after the Troubles. That isn’t how it has felt to families cowering in fear of racist mobs this week. The riots started in Ballymena, ostensibly triggered by the arrest of two boys, reported to be of Romanian origin, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. A community vigil mutated into a racist rampage. Masked thugs targeted the local migrant population. When police came to quell the pogrom, officers were attacked with bricks, fireworks, petrol bombs. There was contagion. Windows were smashed and a fire started at a leisure centre in nearby Larne that had been used as a temporary refuge for those fleeing the Ballymena violence. There were outbreaks of di...

Events

35 h. ago Ballymena riots: Police arrest man and woman with victim 'traumatised' by days of violence

Police in Northern Ireland have faced four consecutive days of violence in the wake of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena that sparked riots, leaving residents terrified

Events

36 h. ago Northern Ireland migrant protesters throw firebombs at police as violence spreads to Portadown

Communities in Northern Ireland are experiencing a fourth day of fear and anxiety as masked protesters continue to wreak havoc and commit acts of fiery vandalism on residential neighbourhoods

Events

36 h. ago Riot police out for fourth night as fire on street and rocks thrown at cops in UK town

The violent scenes comes after three nights of violence in towns across Northern Ireland saw cops pelted with petrol bombs and foreign families targetted by masked thugs

Events

51 h. ago Lyons insists he will not resign following criticism of social media post

Masked youths attacked the Larne Leisure Centre on Wednesday night and set it on fire.

Politics

52 h. ago Violence erupts for third night in UK town as rioters set leisure centre on fire

Homes have been evacuated and a leisure centre housing migrants has been set alight

Events

59 h. ago Minister to be referred to standards commissioner following Larne fire

A fire broke out at Larne Leisure centre following vandalism at the facility on the third night of disorder in Northern Ireland.

Politics

61 h. ago ‘Masked thugs’ start fire at leisure centre on third night of violence in Northern Ireland

The PSNI deployed riot police in Ballymena for a third night as a significant crowd gathered in the area

Events

62 h. ago Riot police at leisure centre blaze after 'masked thug's' cause disorder in UK town

Riots continue in Northern Ireland for the third night, as youth storm Larne Leisure Centre to smash window and set wheelie bins on fire before placing them inside

Events

3 d. ago Ballymena riots: Fireworks and petrol bombs thrown at police as violence erupts

Fireworks and petrol bombs were thrown at police as violence erupted for a second night in a row in Northern Ireland on Tuesday (11 June).

Events

3 d. ago Man charged with riotous behaviour after 15 police injured in Ballymena

Northern Irish politicians condemn ‘feral’ violence that erupted after vigil for girl allegedly sexually assaultedA 29-year-old man has been charged with riotous behaviour after being arrested during disorder in Ballymena on Monday night.The man, who is due to appear before Ballymena magistrates court on Thursday 3 July, has also been charged with disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Fifteen police injured amid suspected racially motivated attacks in Ballymena

Northern Irish politicians condemn violence that erupted after vigil for girl who was allegedly sexually assaultedFifteen police officers were injured and several homes attacked during what has been called a “mob fury” of racially motivated disturbances in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena.Members of a crowd threw petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry and bricks at police and tried to burn the homes of a handful of foreign families in the County Antrim town on Monday night. Continue reading...

Events