Police in Northern Ireland have faced four consecutive days of violence in the wake of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena that sparked riots, leaving residents terrified
A man aged 30 and a woman aged 50 have been taken into custody in relation to the violent unrest that erupted in Ballymena on Wednesday night. This takes the total number of people arrested to 15, with the Police Service of Northern Ireland promising more in the coming days as they review footage of the disorder.
For the third night running, police were targeted in the Co Antrim town on Wednesday, June 11, as hundreds congregated around the Clonavon Terrace area, near to where an alleged sexual assault took place in the town.
Two boys aged 14 were arrested in connection with the incident, with both denying charges of attempted oral sexual assault on Monday.
In an attempt to disperse the crowd and regain control of the situation, officers deployed dogs, baton rounds and a water cannon, all while under assault from petrol bombs, bricks and masonry.
On Thursday evening, the anti-immigration protests had spread further afield, with the centre of disorder becoming Portadown, where officers also faced petrol bombs and other projectiles.
This came just hours after PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher revealed in a press conference that the violence seen on the streets of Ballymena had been a further “traumatising” event for the victim of the alleged sexual assault. “Let’s stop it now, Everybody wants it to stop,” he said.
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“I reiterate the retraumatising of this poor girl, she’s been through enough through what happened to her on Saturday evening. She doesn’t want any of this.
“I know the family are mortified. I’ve spoken to them personally, they’ve asked me to make this plea. So for all of you listening, for people who have any sort of responsibility or charge over people who have been doing this awful disorder, get them to desist, stop it.”
Following the disorder on Wednesday, a 30-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman have now been arrested on suspicion of rioting and are currently being held in police custody.
Of the 15 arrests made in connection with the violent unrest in Ballymena, four individuals have been charged so far, reports Belfast Live.
A spokesperson for the PSNI stated:
“Detectives investigating disorder in Ballymena last night, Wednesday, 11th June, have made further arrests. A 30-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman have been arrested on riot. They remain in police custody this evening as enquiries continue.”
At the press conference, Chief Constable Boutcher also revealed that PSNI are tracking down a third individual in connection with the alleged sexual assault in Ballymena, stating:
“We have identified a third suspect who is currently out of the jurisdiction, but we will be bringing him back into the jurisdiction.”