What is behind the riots in Northern Ireland?

Bricks and petrol bombs were thrown at police on a third night of violent disorder in a town in Northern Ireland on Wednesday night. 

Houses, cars, and a leisure centre turned into an emergency shelter for families were also set alight by the protesters, who were responded to by officers firing water cannon and plastic baton rounds.

The trouble in Ballymena, in County Antrim, broke out on Monday after an alleged sexual assault on a girl in the area.

Ethnic minorities appear to have been targeted across the three nights of violence, with some residents resorting to displaying signs in their home windows to show their nationalities.

Unrest has also spread to the towns of Larne and Coleraine as Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) seeks help from other forces in England and Wales to deal with the disturbance.

What is happening in Ballymena?

For the third night in a row, the town has witnessed violence, described by police as racially-motivated, that has seen properties damaged, cars set alight and police attacked.

It began on Monday night, when unrest broke out around Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena, where several houses had their windows smashed and two suffered significant smoke damage. 

Despite police dispersing the protesters, trouble returned on Tuesday night in the same area, with lined officers again coming under attack from masked people throwing fireworks, glass bottles and pieces of metal.

Some masked protesters shouted abuse and threw objects at the police, including fireworks, glass bottles and pieces of metal (Getty)

During the first two nights of disorder, 32 police officers were injured, and six people were arrested.

On Wednesday night, despite a joint statement by political leaders calling for the violence to stop, trouble occurred again.

Hundreds of protesters gathered again around the Clonvaon Terrace area, attacking riot police with petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks as officers with shields advanced on the crowd to disperse them.

Rioters smashed the windows of a house on North Street and set multiple fires on streets in the surrounding area. 

The disorder and stand-off with police continued past midnight.

Unrest spreads to nearby towns

With the situation escalating over the week, violence has also taken place in towns around Ballymena.

On Tuesday night, police reported “sporadic disorder” in Newtownabbey, where bins were set alight, and Carrickfergus, where bricks were thrown at police by a group of 20 to 30 young people. 

And on Wednesday night, in Larne, which is a 30-minute drive from Ballymena, masked youths attacked the leisure centre, which was being used as an emergency shelter for families impacted by the disturbance in Ballymena.

Larne Leisure Centre, which was being used as an emergency shelter, has also been attacked (Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

Standing at the scene, where people had been arriving to attend swimming classes and yoga sessions, local Alliance Party MLA Danny Donnelly told BBC News NI it was "absolute disorder".

How did the riots start?

The unrest started after a peaceful protest on Monday which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area.

In connection with the incident, two 14-year-old boys have appeared in court charged with attempted rape. The charges were read to the teenagers by a Romanian interpreter. 

On Monday night, a third arrest was made, before the 28-year-old man was unconditionally released from police custody following questioning.

Where is Ballymena and what is it like?

Ballymena is town which has a 30,000 population and is located a 30-minute drive from Belfast.

Described in tourist brochures as a pretty shopping town, its main roads resembled a war zone on Tuesday night as tensions boiled over in the community.

A house displays a British flag in its window as police respond to the disorder in Ballymena (Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

With ethnic minorities appearing to be targeted, residents have chosen to display signs about the nationalities of those normally resident, including one saying “British household” and another with “Filipino lives here”. 

The local community are said to be in fear and want the violence to stop, according to deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly, who met with residents on Wednesday.

Protests have been focused in predominantly loyalist areas in Ballymena, although first minister Michelle O’Neill, who has condemned the violence, said she not believe it would be helpful for her to visit in the current context.

What has the reaction been to the events?

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he “utterly condemns” violence which left 32 police officers injured after the second night of disturbances.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir condemned the “mindless attacks” against police.

“I utterly condemn the violence that we have seen overnight in Ballymena and in other parts of Northern Ireland, including against PSNI officers,” Sir Keir told MPs.

“It’s absolutely vital that the PSNI are given the time they need to investigate the incidents concerned rather than face mindless attacks as they seek to bring peace and order to keep people safe.”

Residents in Ballymena have told politicians they are in fear and want the violence to stop (Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the rioting “risks undermining” the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in Ballymena at the weekend. 

Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course.

In a joint statement, ministers from across the Stormont powersharing Executive, which includes Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but “division and disorder”. 

Sinn Fein vice-president Ms O’Neill told reporters in Belfast: “It’s pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.”

What happens next?

A heavy police presence remains in Ballymena as the disorder continues, while work starts to clear the streets of debris and repair damage to homes and businesses. 

Firefighters are also at the scene at Larne Leisure Centre, where the clear-up continues.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the force would be bringing extra officers from other forces, vehicles and equipment to areas where unrest has flared.

By Wednesday, six individuals had been arrested for public order offences, and one charged. 

The 29-year-old man charged with riotous behaviour was arrested on Monday night. He will appear before the courts. 

Story by Alex Ross and Jabed Ahmed: The Independent