Northern Irish politicians condemn violence that erupted after vigil for girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted
Fifteen police officers were injured and several homes attacked during what has been called a “mob fury” of racially motivated disturbances in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena.
Members of a crowd threw petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry and bricks at police and tried to burn the homes of a handful of foreign families in the County Antrim town on Monday night.
The unrest erupted after a vigil for a teenage girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys. Earlier on Monday the pair had appeared in court charged with attempted rape. A Romanian interpreter read them the charges.
“A number of masked individuals then broke away from the vigil and began to build barricades, stockpiling missiles and attacking properties in the Clonavon Terrace area,” a police statement said on Tuesday. “Elements of the crowd then turned on to police and attacked officers with petrol bombs and masonry.”
