Northern Ireland Experiences Third Consecutive Night of Anti-Immigrant Unrest

Northern Ireland was engulfed in violent disturbances for a third straight night on Wednesday as law enforcement confronted anti-immigrant demonstrators throughout the region.

In Ballymena, the epicenter of the unrest since Monday, masked groups threw petrol bombs and bricks at police officers. Approximately 20 miles away in Larne, similar groups set fire to a leisure center that had been repurposed as temporary emergency accommodation for families displaced from Ballymena earlier in the week. Authorities have confirmed that all affected families have since been safely relocated.

These arson incidents follow a series of attacks targeting homes and vehicles in Ballymena, which police have characterized as motivated by hate following an alleged sexual assault reported in the town on Saturday.

Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive released a joint statement on Wednesday condemning the violence, describing it as racially motivated.

“Those exploiting the situation to incite racial divisions are not seeking justice but are instead promoting discord and unrest within our communities,” the statement declared.

At least 32 police officers have sustained injuries during the disturbances. In response, the Police Service of Northern Ireland has requested additional support from other UK police forces. Scottish authorities have confirmed they will deploy officers to Northern Ireland starting Thursday.

The unrest, which began in Ballymena and rapidly spread to neighboring towns, originated after two 14-year-old boys appeared in court charged with the attempted oral rape of a teenage girl on Clonavon Terrace the previous Saturday night. The youths, who required a Romanian translator, denied the charges through their legal representation.

The incident sparked outrage within Ballymena, a town roughly 30 miles northwest of Belfast, and was quickly amplified by far-right and anti-immigration groups on social media platforms.

By Wednesday afternoon, Clonavon Terrace was notably quiet. Children observed from windows as heavily armored police vehicles patrolled the streets. Several residences had been boarded up, with some displaying Union Jack flags, signaling British identity. Locals stood cautiously in doorways, closing doors swiftly when approached.

As night fell, large crowds again gathered, confronting nearly a dozen riot police vehicles and dozens of officers in full riot gear. Protesters threw bricks, fireworks, and petrol bombs at police shields. Law enforcement responded with water cannons and later deployed attack dogs against those refusing to disperse. The confrontation moved through the winding streets until the crowds began to dissipate around 11 p.m.

Further protests are anticipated on Thursday, despite a status yellow weather warning forecasting rain and heavy thunderstorms across parts of Northern Ireland.