Thousands of residents in Northern Ireland of Ballymena almost throughout on Tuesday night continued a mass protest against foreigners or immigrants over alleged sexual assault on a female minor by suspected Romanians, leading to a more chaotic situation on Tuesday around Clonavon Terrace area and Bridge road, with protesters seen engaging police officers with petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks, with police authority, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, PSNI confirming that the violent civil unrest was brought under control around 1am on Wednesday morning night, adding that, 17 police officers sustained serious injuries and the police service senior officer, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher described the protest as a racial behaviour.

It was gathered that some shops and homes of foreigners were set ablaze by the protesters who staged the anti-immigrant protests across several streets in Ballymena, forcing many foreigners to flee the city over fear of being attacked.

The protests in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, erupted following the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl on June 7, 2025, in the Clonavon Terrace area.

According to Reuters; “Hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena on Tuesday, in the second successive night of disorder that followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town”.

Calm was restored to Ballymena, located 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the capital Belfast, at around 01:00 local time (0000 GMT), police said.

Officers in riot gear and driving armoured vans responded earlier with water cannon and non-lethal rounds, known as attenuated energy projectiles, after being attacked by petrol bombs, scaffolding and rocks that rioters gathered by knocking down nearby walls, a Reuters witness said.

Police Service of Northern Ireland in a series of statements issued on its website and social media handle, said that: “Police continuing to investigate a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Saturday, 7th June have made a third arrest.

Detective Inspector Olphert from the Police Service’s Public Protection Branch said: “A 28-year-old man was arrested yesterday evening, Monday 9th June. He has been unconditionally released from police custody following questioning.

“We have to date charged two teenage boys with attempted rape and our enquiries are continuing. They both appeared before Coleraine Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning, Monday 9th June, in connection with this investigation.

“We would reiterate our appeal for information. If you were in the Clonavon Terrace or Waveney Road area on Saturday evening, and witnessed what happened or noticed anything suspicious, please make contact with police on 101, quoting reference number 1522 07/06/25.

The 29-year-old man, arrested during the disorder in Ballymena on Monday night 9th June, has been charged to court.

He has been charged with riotous behaviour, disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police.

He is due to appear before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 3rd July. As is usual procedure, the charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said: “We are actively working to identify those responsible for last night’s racially- motivated disorder in Ballymena and bring them to justice.

Over the coming days, we will have in place a significant policing presence to help protect these communities in Ballymena and prevent any future disorder.

Anyone who has information or who can help identify those responsible is asked to contact police on 101.

Police are currently dealing with serious disorder in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena this evening, Tuesday 10th June.

Members of the public should avoid the area. An update will be provided in due course.

Calm has been restored in Ballymena following serious disorder in the Clonavon Terrace, North Road and Bridge Street areas last night.

Disorder broke out shortly before 8pm and continued for several hours with masonry and petrol bombs thrown at police officers and police vehicles. A number of homes and businesses were also attacked.

During the disorder, authorised officers discharged a number of Attenuating Energy Projectiles (AEPs) and the water cannon was also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds. Calm was restored to the area at around 1am.

Police also dealt with sporadic disorder in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus with some incidents in north Belfast.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland condemns the disgraceful scenes of violence on the streets last night, Tuesday 10 June.

In a second night of rioting and disorder, mainly in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena, police officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks in their direction.

Earlier in the evening, a number of protests took place in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey. Officers attended to monitor the situation and ensure an appropriate and proportionate policing response.

In Carrickfergus two bins were set alight and bottles and masonry thrown at police in the Sunnylands area by a group of 20-30 young people at around 8:30pm. In Newtownabbey bins were set alight at the rounadabout on O’Neill Road.

During the course of the serious disorder in Ballymena, authorised officers discharged a number of Attenuating Energy Projectiles (AEPs) and the water cannon was also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds. Businesses and homes were attacked and damaged and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area.

17 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.

Chief Constable Jon 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.

“As with any serious offenders in Northern Ireland, we will pursue those responsible and bring them to justice. We will now begin our investigation of reviewing all evidence gathered, including video footage, and Images of the individuals involved will be released to identify offenders.

“Do not throw away your future and do not continue to endanger or intimidate the lives of others.

“To those who have been threatened or affected by this violence: we are with you. You deserve safety and justice, and we will find and prosecute those responsible. Hate-fuelled acts and mob rule do nothing but tear at the fabric of our society—they resolve nothing and serve no one.

“I want to pay the highest tribute to the women and men of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Despite operating under immense financial pressure—far greater than that faced by other public services in Northern Ireland or police forces across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland—our officers continue to display unwavering professionalism, courage, and resolve. Again we see our brave officers putting themselves in harms way to keep people safe resulting in further unacceptable injuries – they are a credit to us all.

“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.

“The PSNI is a cornerstone of our society’s peace and security. It is time it was treated—and funded—accordingly.”, the statement from the Police Service of Northern Ireland ends in quotes.

Reacting over the Police describing the protest a racial behaviour, the National Housing Party in the United Kingdom on its verified X social media handle, said: “Police in Northern Ireland demonise the good people of Ballymena as “racist” thugs because they got angry about the rape of our kids. Same response from the establishment as Southport tragedy”.