Crowd attack police officers in Portadown, County Armagh as violent disorder in Northern Ireland continues
Spurred by false racist rumors, a fourth consecutive night of violence has plunged Northern Ireland into crisis, as anti-immigrant rioters once again attacked police, throwing bricks and masonry.
The unrest, triggered by the arrest of two local teenage boys in connection with an alleged sexual assault earlier this week, continued on Thursday night.
A crowd threw bricks and masonry at officers in Portadown, County Armagh amid a heavy police presence. Some 400 protesters reportedly gathered in the area.
More than 40 police officers have been injured since the beginning of the unrest on Monday night in Ballymena, while 15 people have been arrested.
Most recently, the Northern Ireland Police Service said a 30-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of riot.
Immigrant communities, particularly from the Philippines and Eastern Europe, have reported threats, vandalism, and displacement during the disorder, and some families have boarded up homes or displayed national flags to deter attackers.
The unrest was triggered by public anger following the arrest of two local 14-year-old boys in connection with the alleged June 7 sexual assault of a teenage girl in Ballymena's Clonavon Terrace area. Despite police confirming the suspects are local, misinformation online has fueled racially charged violence.
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly issued a joint condemnation calling the attacks “orchestrated racist thuggery.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also urged calm and support for the justice process.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn is set to visit Ballymena to assess the situation firsthand.
Community groups and civic leaders are working to support displaced families and ease tensions as the region remains on edge.
