Water Cannon Deployed as Anti-Immigrant Unrest Flares in Northern Ireland

Ballymena, a town in Northern Ireland, experienced a second night of anti-immigrant unrest on Tuesday, with demonstrators throwing bricks, bottles, and fireworks at police and setting vehicles on fire.

Law enforcement deployed water cannon and plastic baton rounds to break up a crowd of several hundred individuals in the town, which is located 25 miles (40 km) north of Belfast.

The violence began on Monday, following a peaceful demonstration of support for the family of an alleged sexual assault victim from the weekend. The alleged perpetrators are two 14-year-old boys.

Due to their age, the suspects have not been named. A Romanian interpreter assisted them during their court appearance.

Several homes were damaged during the initial night of disturbances on Monday. The Police Service of Northern Ireland reported that 15 officers sustained injuries.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson stated that officers are “actively working to identify those responsible for last night’s racially motivated disorder in Ballymena and bring them to justice.”

He asserted that the violence should be “loudly condemned by all right thinking people.”

He added, “Any attempt to justify or explain it as something else is misplaced.”

“`

ant