3 d. ago More than 100 officers were hurt in Northern Ireland riots – Boutcher

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the actions of his officers had saved lives during the first night of violence in Ballymena last month.

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2 w. ago The racial violence in Ballymena repeats a pattern that’s blighted Britain for years. We must wake up to that | Lanre Bakare

History tells us attacks on migrants are a predictable result of political failings, distorted media coverage and far-right opportunismIn early June, the violence began. Rumours of a foreigner assaulting a local woman resulted in groups roaming through a small British town, breaking windows of homes belonging to “outsiders”. A few days later, the police attempted to stop mobs from reaching another nearby multiracial area. Eventually they broke through, ransacking shops and burning down a house, while local media reported that the violence had developed into “something like a fever”.Sound familiar? This isn’t Ballymena, the County Antrim town in Northern Ireland that has seen several nights of unrest in which immigrant homes were attacked after reports of an alleged sexual assault on a local girl by two teenagers, who had a Romanian interpreter read them the charges. These incidents actually took place more than a century ago, during the summer of 1919, as racial violence spread thro...

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3 w. ago Scots cops sent to Northern Ireland as police officers injured in fireworks riots

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the Scots cops in question are "trained to work in our environment".

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3 w. 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.

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3 w. 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...

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3 w. ago Riots spread in Northern Ireland with 15 arrested after nights of chaos following 'sexual assault of girl by Romanian teens' in Ballymena

Fifteen rioters have been arrested as 41 police officers were injured amid unrest in Northern Ireland following the alleged sexual assault of a girl by Romanian teens. 

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3 w. 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

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3 w. ago Northern Ireland riots LIVE: Fires burn in Portadown as rocks thrown at police

A heavy PSNI presence has been deployed as unrest continues in Northern Ireland this evening - with reports of fires and rocks being thrown at police in Portadown

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3 w. ago History is repeating itself in my hometown and it’s terrifying to watch

Like everywhere in Northern Ireland, Ballymena has suffered its share of atrocities. Now it’s happening all over again, writes Kate Devlin

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3 w. ago How a peaceful protest erupted into nights of violence and rocked a Northern Irish community

A demonstration organised on social media called for a ‘peaceful protest to show our anger at what cannot and will not be tolerated in this town’. But after three nights of violence, terrified families are fleeing Ballymena and displaying their nationalities on their front door

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3 w. ago Northern Ireland minister rejects call to resign as political unity over riots cracks

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. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Watch: Homes left smashed and charred after multiple nights of violence in Ballymena

Homes have been destroyed after several nights of unrest in Northern Ireland, where rioters hurled petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks at police.

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3 w. ago Northern Ireland riots latest: Petrol bombs and fireworks hurled at police as Ballymena violence spreads

Violence has broken out in Ballymena for the past three nights after angry mobs went on the rampage through the town’s streets

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3 w. 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

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3 w. 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

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3 w. ago Ballymena riots explained as police call for calm following 'racist thuggery'

Rioters descended on the streets of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, where they are tearing through a neighbourhood rocked by a recent alleged sexual assault

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3 w. ago Watch: Moment Ballymena rioter sets himself on fire as violence erupts for second night

Cars and properties set on fire in Ballymena as rioters hurl petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry at police officers

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3 w. ago Second night of rioting in Ballymena leaves 17 police officers injured

Racially motivated attacks have left families in fear, say police, after unrest broke out over alleged sexual assaultA second night of rioting has left 17 police officers injured and caused damage to several homes, businesses and vehicles in Ballymena in Northern Ireland.A crowd launched a “sustained attack” on officers on Tuesday night by hurling petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks in the County Antrim town, a police spokesperson said. Continue reading...

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3 w. 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).

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3 w. ago Ballymena riots condemned as ‘racist thuggery’ as homes and cars set on fire in second night of violence

Dramatic scenes unfolded overnight in the Northern Ireland town as rioters hurled petrol bombs, fireworks and glass bottles at police officers

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