Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has seen two nights of heavy rioting. The unrest comes on the heels of protests over a high-profile criminal case in which two teenage boys were charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl. When hundreds of masked environmental protesters flooded the Southern town, they produced an immediate backlash. This resulted in violent clashes with police and tremendous destruction to property.
The protests started nonviolently but soon turned into widespread riots. The charges against the alleged boys were never formally laid, but the threat of these charges delivered via an interpreter stoked fears among residents. After dark, things got much worse. These civil rights violations sparked outrage among some demonstrators, who violently confronted law enforcement officers, targeting them and burning private residences and cars in the region.
On the first night of rioting, four houses suffered extensive fire damage, while additional properties experienced smashed windows and doors. The violence then escalated through into the next night, as protesters ramped up violent attacks against police officers. Authorities are now investigating these incidents as racially-motivated hate crimes.
Fifteen police officers were injured in the clashes. Many of them required hospitalization due to the seriousness of their injuries. The continued escalation of violence led local state politicians and government officials to take action.
Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Benn condemned the riots, stating, “The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland.” His remarks were part of a broader spike in denunciation from the British government. They condemned the violence and called on the community to keep the peace.
Investigators are still unearthing the reasoning behind these protests and the ensuing riots. At the same time, worries are increasing about how this unrest will impact social capital in Ballymena. Local leaders have been appealing to residents to protest without violence and have meaningful conversations about their concerns.
