Seventeen police officers have been injured following a second consecutive night of sustained violence in Ballymena, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher warned that the ongoing rioting “risks undermining” the criminal justice process into an alleged sexual assault involving a teenage girl in the County Antrim town over the weekend.
Stormont ministers issued an urgent appeal for calm, insisting that the justice process must be allowed to run its course.
In a joint statement, ministers from across the power-sharing executive said those involved in the disorder “have nothing to offer society but division and destruction.”
Police reported that officers came under sustained attack for several hours, with petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks, and fireworks being thrown at them in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Tuesday night.
Riot police were deployed, with officers using plastic baton rounds, water cannon, and dog units to try to disperse the crowds.
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Sporadic disorder was also reported in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, and north Belfast.
The violence followed a peaceful protest earlier in the week, held in support of the family of a girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted in the area.
Two teenage boys have been charged in connection with the case and spoke to the court via a Romanian interpreter.
During Tuesday night’s unrest in Ballymena, multiple businesses and homes were damaged, and several vehicles were set on fire. Police confirmed that:
Seventeen officers were injured, with some requiring hospital treatment.
Five individuals were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and remain in custody.
One male was arrested for disorderly behaviour on O’Neill Road in Newtownabbey.
Roads in affected areas were temporarily closed to ensure public safety but have since been reopened.
Fifteen officers were also injured during similar violence in Ballymena on Monday night.
(dpa/NAN)