A second night of riots and disorder found the city of Ballymena in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, while anti-immigrant protests spread to various other areas and the police warned of ‘hate-featured deeds’.
Houses, companies and vehicles were again attacked in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena, where various properties were set on fire on Monday evening after a demonstration about the alleged sexual attack of a teenage girl.
Police officers came on Tuesday evening under “Persistent attack” with gasoline bombs, bricks and fireworks, according to A statement from the police service of Noord -Ireland and 17 officers were injured.
The police used a water cannon against crowds and shot plastic stick rounds in Ballymena, while disorder also took place in parts of Belfast and in the city of Carrickfergus.
Earlier in the evening, protests had taken place in areas of Belfast, as well as in Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey.
They followed the appearance in the court on Monday of two 14-year-old boys who were accused on Saturday evening of the serious sexual mistreatment of a teenage girl.
Both boys are accused of attempting oral rape and deny the charges, the BBC reportedAdding that they had confirmed their names and ages via a Romanian interpreter.
On Wednesday morning, plates and flags were published in some houses in the Ballymena area, where the attack and riots took place in which the nationality of those were explained.
“British household”, read a handwritten sign above a broken window, while another house showed a photo of the flag of the Philippines with the words: “Filipin lives here.”
Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who leads the police service of Noord -Ireland, said: “The brainless violence that has been witnessed in Ballymena for the past two nights in Ballymena, is deep and completely unacceptable. These criminal acts are not only lifetime, but also the risk that the current criminal laws and protection deserve in the support.”
He said that the police assessed video images and other evidence to identify rioters, and condemned what he called “hatred fights and crowd rule.”
Five people were arrested on Tuesday evening on suspicion of riots in Ballymena, while another suspect was arrested for disorder in Newtownabbey, north of Belfast.
This is a developing story. Come back for updates.
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