15 Police Injured and Houses Set Alight in Ballymena

Riots broke out across Northern Ireland starting June 9, 2025, following the charging of two Romanian-speaking Roma teenagers with the attempted rape of a teenage girl in Ballymena, County Antrim. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) stated that the resulting disorder was targeted at law enforcement and ethnic minorities, treating the attacks as racially motivated hate crimes.

The violence began on the evening of June 9, 2025, when a crowd of approximately 2,500 people gathered in the Galgorm Road area of Ballymena at 7:30 p.m. The group held a vigil to voice support for the family of the victim of the alleged sexual assault. The procession moved from Galgorm Road toward Larne Street, onto Wakehurt Road, and then down Queen Street.

While the vigil was initially peaceful, the PSNI reported that a number of masked individuals broke away from the group as they reached the Clonavon Terrace area. These individuals began building barricades, stockpiling missiles, and attacking local properties. The crowd then turned on police officers, launching a sustained attack over several hours using petrol bombs, fireworks, bricks, and heavy masonry.

Fifteen police officers were injured during the first night of disorder in Ballymena, with some requiring hospital treatment. Two police vehicles were damaged. In the Clonavon Terrace area, six houses had their windows smashed, and two properties suffered significant fire damage.

Legal Proceedings and Community Tension

The unrest followed the court appearance of two 14-year-old boys charged with attempted rape. Because the defendants were Romanian-speaking, the charges were read to the teenagers by a Romanian interpreter.

Local MP and TUV leader Jim Allister stated that tensions had been building in Ballymena for some time regarding immigration. He noted that the violence occurred after the peaceful protest in support of the victim’s family.

The targeted nature of the attacks affected local residents. A Romanian mother of three living in one of the targeted houses on Clonavon Terrace told the PA news agency that she was scared to remain in the area, noting that her children had questioned why they were being attacked.

Escalation and Regional Spread

The disorder extended beyond the initial night, continuing from June 9 through June 18, 2025. Over the course of these ten days, a total of 107 police officers were injured and 56 people were arrested, with 27 of those remanded into custody. During five of the nights of disorder, police deployed a total of 32 attenuating energy projectiles (AEPs).

On the second night of riots, June 10, 2025, an additional 17 police officers were injured and five people were arrested in Ballymena. During this period, the disorder spread to other locations, including Belfast, Carrickfergus, and Newtownabbey.

By the third night, violence continued throughout Northern Ireland. In Ballymena, nine more police officers were injured and seven people were arrested. In Larne, a leisure centre was set on fire.

The period of unrest resulted in the damage of multiple businesses, homes, and cars. The violence led to a significant demographic shift in the town of Ballymena, resulting in the exodus of two-thirds of the Roma population from the area.

Official Responses

Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long condemned the violence, stating there could be no justification for the appalling scenes witnessed on the streets.

The PSNI strongly condemned the shocking scenes of disorder and appealed for calm. The agency confirmed that the attacks were being treated as racially motivated hate crimes, emphasizing that the disorder specifically targeted ethnic minorities and law enforcement officers.