15 Officers Injured, Homes Damaged in Ballymena Riot

Severe disorder erupted in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, following a vigil that turned violent, resulting in 15 police officers being injured and extensive property damage including six homes and two police vehicles. The violence, which included petrol bombs, fireworks, and heavy masonry thrown at police, is being treated as racially motivated hate crimes amid rising tensions over immigration. The unrest followed an alleged sexual assault on a teenage girl, with two 14-year-old boys charged with attempted rape, an incident that had initially prompted a peaceful protest. Masked individuals broke away from the vigil, building barricades and attacking properties, including setting fires in homes that forced evacuations. Police made one arrest connected to riotous and disorderly behavior, while local MP Jim Allister condemned the violence and attributed some blame to outsiders, emphasizing the impact on legitimate local concerns regarding immigration. Authorities called for calm, stressing that such violence has no place in society and should be condemned by all.