Violence Erupts in Northern Ireland: Leisure Centre Attacked and Police Officers Injured
A wave of disorder swept across Northern Ireland on Wednesday, with a leisure centre in Larne attacked by masked thugs and a third night of rioting in the town of Ballymena. The disturbances have resulted in 17 police officers injured and several homes, businesses, and vehicles damaged.
According to reports from The Guardian, a fire broke out at the Larne leisure centre in Co Antrim, with people wearing masks smashing windows and setting fires outside which spread inside the building. The attack coincided with a third night of public disorder in Ballymena, 30 minutes from Larne. Local Alliance MLA Danny Donnelly condemned the attack, saying: "Larne leisure centre has been attacked by masked thugs. Windows smashed and fires lit nearby. Larne does not need this."
The Larne leisure centre had been designated as an emergency rest centre for those in urgent need after the disturbances in Ballymena, but the families had been safely relocated elsewhere. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council confirmed that the centre was no longer being used as a rest centre.
In Ballymena, demonstrators who gathered on Bridge Street were told to disperse by riot police shortly before 9pm after a firework was thrown at officers. The unrest began on Monday night, after a vigil for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys. The boys had appeared in court earlier that day charged with attempted rape.
Police said the unrest turned into racially motivated attacks on foreigners that left families cowering in their homes as mobs broke windows and tried to set fire to curtains. Police fired plastic baton rounds and used water cannon to try to disperse the crowds on Tuesday. A police spokesperson said: "Businesses and homes were attacked and damaged and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area. Seventeen officers were injured with some requiring hospital treatment."
The Guardian reported that Jon Boutcher, the Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable, described the "mindless violence" as deeply concerning and unacceptable. "These criminal acts not only endanger lives but also risk undermining the ongoing criminal justice process led by the PSNI in support of a victim who deserves truth, justice and protection. Ironically, and frustratingly, this violence threatens to derail the very pursuit of justice it claims to challenge."
Boutcher appealed for an immediate end to criminality and disorder, saying: "As with any serious offenders in Northern Ireland, we will pursue those responsible and bring them to justice. We will now begin our investigation of reviewing all evidence gathered, including video footage, and images of the individuals involved will be released to identify offenders. Do not throw away your future and do not continue to endanger or intimidate the lives of others."
The violence has been widely condemned, with ministers from across Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive issuing a joint statement saying those involved in the disorder in Ballymena had nothing to offer society but "division and disorder". The statement said: "As ministers representing every party and department in the Northern Ireland Executive, we strongly condemn the racially motivated violence witnessed in recent days and make an urgent appeal for calm across society."
The Northern Ireland secretary, Hilary Benn, also condemned the violence, saying: "The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland." Smaller protests took place on Tuesday night in Lisburn, Coleraine, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, and Belfast. Reinforcements would be sought from Wales and England if necessary, police said.
As the situation continues to unfold, The Guardian will provide updates on the developing story. The source material for this article can be found at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jun/11/second-night-rioting-ballymena-police-officers-injured-northern-ireland.
