SEVENTEEN police officers have been injured following a second night of sustained violence in Ballymena, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.
PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the rioting “risks undermining” the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in the Co Antrim town at the weekend.
Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course.
In a joint statement, ministers from across the coalition, which includes Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but “division and disorder”.
Police said their officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks in their direction in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Tuesday night.
The PSNI deployed riot police, fired plastic baton rounds, and used water cannon as well as dog units as part of its response to the disorder.
Police also reported that “sporadic disorder” had also occurred in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, as well as incidents in north Belfast.
It came after similar violent disorder around Clonavon Terrace in the town on Monday night, following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged.
A PSNI spokesperson said earlier on Tuesday evening that a number of protests took place in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey.
In Carrickfergus, two bins were set alight and bottles and masonry thrown at police in the Sunnylands area by a group of 20 to 30 young people at around 8.30pm.
In Newtownabbey bins were set alight at the roundabout on O’Neill Road.
During the course of the disorder in Ballymena, officers discharged a number of plastic baton rounds and the water cannon was also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds.
The spokesperson said: “Businesses and homes were attacked and damaged and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area.
“Seventeen officers were injured with some requiring required hospital treatment.
“Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and remain in police custody this morning.
“A male was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour on the O’Neill Road in Newtownabbey.
“A number of nearby roads were closed by police to ensure the safety of the public and local residents, and to enable officers to deal with the situation and disorder safely. All roads were subsequently reopened.”
Fifteen officers had been injured during similar scenes in Ballymena on Monday.
Boutcher said: “The mindless violence witnessed over the past two nights in Ballymena is deeply concerning and utterly unacceptable.
“These criminal acts not only endanger lives but also risk undermining the ongoing criminal justice process led by the PSNI in support of a victim who deserves truth, justice, and protection.
“Ironically, and frustratingly, this violence threatens to derail the very pursuit of justice it claims to challenge.
“Let me be clear: this behaviour must stop. I appeal to everyone involved to cease all further acts of criminality and disorder immediately.”
The Chief Constable said the investigation into the violence would include reviewing video footage and images of individuals would be released to identify offenders.
He added: “Since 2010, the PSNI has been critically underfunded. This neglect takes no account of the enormous demands placed on us by legacy issues or the unique challenges of policing in a post-conflict society.
“Our resourcing levels are not just inadequate — they are dangerous.
“I will be making arrangements to activate mutual aid resources to ensure we have the necessary support to maintain public order and bring offenders to justice.”
Northern Ireland’s first minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly both condemned the violent scenes in social media posts.
O’Neill said: “The racist and sectarian attacks on families across the north, and the rioting in Ballymena are abhorrent and must stop immediately.
“Those responsible for this violence bring nothing to our communities but hatred, fear and division.
“No one, now or ever should feel the need to place a sticker on their door to identify their ethnicity just to avoid being targeted.”
Ms Little-Pengelly said: “Violence is always wrong. I have been in constant contact throughout last night with PSNI and in contact with local elected representatives.
“This disorder and violence must stop and justice be allowed to prevail.”
