Foreigners in Ballymena hang flags to deter mobs as loyalist rioters torch homes in violent attacks

When the mobs swept through Ballymena’s Clonavon Road, many foreign residents pinned their hopes on flags and stickers to spare them from the fury. “Filipino lives here,” read posters stuck to doors. Union Jacks fluttered in windows, desperate signals to rioters that the families inside were no threat.

“We put it up yesterday,” said Blanka Harnagea, a Czech immigrant, gesturing to the British flag now in her living room window. “We’re still here,” she added, offering a tense smile.

The loyalist riots have shaken Ballymena, a town of 65,000 in County Antrim, to its core. For two nights, masked and hooded mobs targeted foreign-owned homes and businesses, hurling missiles, smashing windows, and torching cars and properties. Thirty-two police officers were injured as they struggled to contain the chaos.

In Parliament, Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined Northern Irish leaders in condemning the violence, calling for calm. But for the town’s foreign-born residents, fear lingers. Many now face the agonising choice to stay or flee.

David, a Polish man who’s lived in Ballymena for 14 years, described the terror as rioters banged on his front door while he and his family hid upstairs. “We wedged a sofa against the door, but they smashed the windows and set fire to the living room,” he recalled. “We ran out the back and got to the police station.” Now, David and his pregnant girlfriend are packing to leave — hopefully only for a few days, though some of her relatives want to return to Bulgaria permanently.

The violence erupted after a vigil for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys, whose court hearing required a Romanian interpreter. While the vigil remained peaceful, a splinter group broke away, igniting the riots. What followed was a targeted assault on immigrant households.

Police Federation of Northern Ireland chair Liam Kelly said officers narrowly prevented a pogrom. “What we saw was totally mindless, unacceptable and feral.”

Yet among some locals, sympathy for the rioters runs deep. “The riots have a valid point; we are being overpopulated,” claimed Danielle O’Neill, 32, insisting she was not racist. “It’s like an invasion. Just yesterday, one of them was following me, eyeing me up.”

Her husband Ryan echoed her sentiments. “If the government won’t put them out, we’ll put them out,” he declared.

Rioters even disabled doorbell cameras to avoid identification. Despite Filipino households attempting to signal neutrality, at least one had its car torched.

Tyler Hoey, Ballymena’s deputy mayor and a DUP councillor, condemned the violence but blamed unchecked immigration. “Unfettered immigration needs to be addressed,” he stated, accusing the UK government of allowing “busloads” of unvetted arrivals into the town.

For many, the riots reflect broader resentment over perceived privileges for immigrants. “I’m working my balls off and paying my taxes while they get put up in luxury hotels,” said Dee, 53, a bottling plant worker. “It’s a dumping ground. No one cares about us.”

In a rare show of unity, Dee noted that even Catholics from other areas joined the protests. “They wouldn’t normally be in a loyalist area like this but they came down. It’s a very good thing.”

Yet he expressed regret that his Slovak neighbours were targeted mistakenly. “The previous people were a nightmare, but this family is brilliant. They shouldn’t have been hit. It was a mistake.” According to Dee, the rioters later apologised and allowed the family to stay.

Harnagea, meanwhile, continues to rely on the goodwill of her local neighbours, who she hopes are vouching for her family’s character. “I haven’t slept in three days,” she confessed. “I don’t know if I’ll sleep tonight.”

AL JAZEERA

Northern Ireland faced a third night of racially motivated riots, primarily in Ballymena, following an alleged sexual assault involving two Romanian teens who deny the charges. Masked youths attacked police with rocks, fireworks, and petrol bombs; 32 officers have been injured so far. Water cannons were again deployed as smaller clashes also broke out in Larne, Newtownabbey, and Coleraine. Some migrant families fled after their homes and vehicles were targeted. The violence, condemned by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, First Minister Michelle O’Neill, and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, has been described as “pure racism” and “unacceptable thuggery.” Police warn the unrest threatens the criminal justice process. Ballymena residents have begun marking their homes to indicate their nationality amid rising tensions. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons drew criticism for revealing the location of displaced families. Authorities continue efforts to restore calm and protect minority communities from further attacks.

BBC

Violence continued in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, for a second night, leaving 17 more police officers injured, raising the total to 32. Protesters hurled petrol bombs, fireworks, and bricks at PSNI officers, who responded with baton rounds and water cannons. The unrest began after two Romanian teens appeared in court accused of sexual assault, which they deny. Authorities describe the violence as “racist thuggery.” Five arrests were made overnight, and sporadic unrest spread to Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, and North Belfast. Migrant families like Mika Kolev’s have fled after their homes were attacked. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, First Minister Michelle O’Neill, and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly strongly condemned the violence. Police Chief Jon Boutcher warned that the riots risk undermining the legal process and revealed PSNI’s dangerously low funding levels. Residents have posted signs on doors indicating their nationality. Politicians fear further escalation and urge an end to the violence before lives are lost.

REUTERS

Northern Ireland faced a third night of violence on Wednesday, though unrest in Ballymena, the main flashpoint, was smaller. A few dozen masked youths threw rocks, fireworks, and petrol bombs at police, who used water cannons for the second night. Most rioters dispersed by midnight. On Tuesday, hundreds had clashed with police, leaving 17 officers injured and five people arrested. The violence began after two 14-year-old Romanian boys, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, appeared in court. Police are investigating property damage as racially-motivated hate crimes, with migrant families, including two Filipino households, fleeing their homes after attacks. In Larne, 30km away, masked youths smashed windows and started fires at a leisure centre, forcing staff and swimmers to flee. Ballymena, a town of 30,000 with a significant migrant population, remains tense as police continue to monitor the situation and investigate racially motivated attacks linked to the ongoing unrest.