Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Rebecca Black

22 police officers injured in night of disorder in Portadown

Police in Portadown in Co Armagh, following three nights of disorder in Ballymena, Co Antrim (PA) - (PA Wire)

More than 20 police officers have been injured following overnight disorder in Portadown.

Officers came under sustained attack with heavy masonry, fireworks and beer kegs in the Co Armagh town on Thursday night.

A police spokesperson said 22 officers were injured and two people were arrested.

Youths in Portadown in Co Armagh on Thursday night (Brian Lawless/PA) (PA Wire)

A woman aged in her 50s and a man in his 30s were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and other offences in connection with the disorder.

The latest incidents followed three consecutive nights of violence, mainly in Ballymena, Co Antrim which followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault.

There was also sporadic disorder elsewhere in Northern Ireland on Thursday night following mainly peaceful protests, including in the Templemore Avenue area of east Belfast, where bricks were thrown through the windows of two houses in Avoniel Road in what police have termed a racially motivated attack.

A person wears a Union flag and stands near armed police in Portadown in Co Armagh (Brian Lawless/PA) (PA Wire)

A small fire at the Manse Road roundabout in Newtownabbey was also reported, and anti-immigration hate graffiti is being investigated in Newtownards.

Meanwhile, a house fire in the Mount Street area of Coleraine which led to the evacuation of a family with three young children, is being treated as deliberate and a racially motivated hate crime.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Jon Boutcher warned on Thursday his officers would be coming after the “bigots and racists” behind the disorder.

A resident clearing debris in Portadown (Brian Lawless/PA) (PA Wire)

He also said that the young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena at the weekend had been “further traumatised” by the rioting across the week.

In a statement on Friday morning, Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said police had come under sustained attack in Portadown.

“Officers deployed a variety of public order tactics to restore order to the town as quickly as possible,” he said.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson speaks to media in east Belfast earlier this week (PA) (PA Wire)

“Twenty-two officers were injured and I am so grateful to them for their bravery and selfless dedication in protecting the community of Portadown from this criminality.

“We saw calm in Ballymena and I hope the powerful words of the family who asked for calm during this really difficult time were heard and continue to be heard over the coming days.”

He warned that while two arrests have been made so far in terms of the disorder in Portadown, more will follow.

“I repeat, once more, our appeal for calm across Northern Ireland in the coming days,” he said.

By Thursday, 41 police officers had been injured, with 15 arrests.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.