Anti-Immigrant Riots In Ballymena Displace Bulgarian, Filipino Families

Violent anti-immigrant riots in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, have forced multiple foreign families, including Bulgarians and Filipinos, to flee their homes due to safety fears. The unrest began after a vigil for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted, quickly escalating into racially motivated attacks on foreign residents and their properties, including homes and vehicles being set on fire. Filipino workers and their families have been evacuated and are receiving assistance from the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers, while local residents like Michael Sancio have also fled due to threats from masked rioters. Police responded with force, using baton rounds, water cannons, and plastic bullets, and reinforcements from Scotland, England, and Wales have been deployed to control the violence. Some foreign families temporarily relocated to a leisure center in Larne have also faced threats. The unrest has deeply divided the community, with some locals displaying union flags and signs asserting local residency, highlighting the intense tensions surrounding immigration in the town.