Missiles, mayhem and fury on the streets of Ballymena: 2,500-strong protest erupts into full-blown riot after teen sex attack charges.
Stock image of a burning bin – similar incidents were reported during the Ballymena unrest, where street fires and disorder followed a protest over teen sex assault charges.
Credit: somsak suwanput, Shutterstock.
PETROL bombs, plumes of smoke and flying paint cans – Ballymena, in Northern Ireland, descended into chaos last night, leaving 15 officers injured as fury over an alleged sex attack turned a protest into a full-scale riot.
The trouble flared just hours after two 14-year-old boys appeared in court charged with attempted rape of a teenage girl in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena, County Antrim.
A crowd of around 2,500 men, women and children gathered on Monday afternoon in a show of support for the victim’s family – but by nightfall, scenes of solidarity had spiralled into scenes of sheer bedlam.
Barricades made from bins and plastic road barriers were set ablaze, a boat was overturned, and masked youths hurled glass bottles, cans of paint and other makeshift missiles at advancing PSNI officers.
“A number of missiles have been thrown towards police with damage reported to a number of properties,” confirmed the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in a statement issued late Monday night.
Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus were forced to break into smoke-filled homes as rioters set fires across the town centre. One dramatic image showed firefighters dousing a blazing heap of debris while a nearby house filled with smoke.
From peaceful victim support protest to fiery fury
The day began with quiet outrage as locals gathered at a park near Clonavon Terrace. But as the sun went down, tensions boiled over and Ballymena lit up for all the wrong reasons.
Crowds marched along Larne Street and Queen Street, and it wasn’t long before anger took a violent turn. Windows were smashed, roads blocked, and riot police with armoured vehicles and drones rolled in to contain the chaos.
“We are urging everyone to remain calm and to act responsibly,” pleaded Chief Superintendent Sue Steen, who warned that the disorder “will only place people at greater risk.”
“Our priority is to keep the community safe, and I would appeal to everyone to work with us to bring calm to the area as quickly as possible.”
Despite repeated calls for calm, the rioting continued late into the night. The PSNI warned motorists and pedestrians to steer clear of Clonavon Road “until further notice.”
Fifteen police officers injured
Police say fifteen officers were injured, two vehicles smashed, and four homes torched in a wave of what’s now being investigated as racially motivated hate attacks.
Foreign families were targeted, bricks rained down, petrol bombs flew, and residents had to be dragged from their homes as arsonists circled.
Liam Kelly of the Police Federation didn’t mince words, calling it a night that “nearly became a pogrom,” warning: “This was feral. Mindless. And moments away from catastrophe.”
Police held the line with terrifyingly thin numbers, with backup possibly needed from across the Irish Sea.
Locals filmed the horror in real-time—one clip showed a woman asking if the house being firebombed was “local.” When told it wasn’t, she spat: “Let them f***ing stay there.”
Grim doesn’t begin to cover it.
Courtroom shock sparks unrest
Earlier that day, the two 14-year-old Romanian boys charged in connection with Saturday night’s attack appeared by videolink at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court, each pleading not guilty to attempted oral rape. A Romanian interpreter was present in court to read the charges.
The boys were remanded in custody to a juvenile justice centre until their next court appearance on July 2.
The alleged attack and the identity of the accused appear to have ignited underlying local tensions, with protesters reportedly linking the case to broader concerns about immigration.
‘Distressing scenes’ and rising tension
TUV leader Jim Allister claimed the demonstration began as a “wholly peaceful protest” driven by what he called “rising concerns about the sheer scale of migration” into Ballymena.
“That unchecked migration which is beyond what the town can cope with is a source of past and future tensions,” he said, adding: “It is very distressing to see scenes of violence on the streets of Ballymena. It is easier to start than to stop these things.”
While some residents condemned the violent turn, others on social media expressed frustration that authorities were “ignoring the racial background” of recent incidents.
But Chief Supt Steen remained focused on restoring order, reiterating that police presence would remain overnight “to monitor the situation and ensure public safety.”
Fire, fury, and Ballymena on edge
As morning broke, the streets were left scorched, windows smashed, and homes damaged. Plastic and paint cans littered the pavement, the remnants of a protest that spiralled out of control.
Whether Ballymena sees another night of fire and fury or finds a path to peace may depend on how the authorities handle this, and what happens next in court.
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