Rioting in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has resulted in injuries to 17 police officers and significant property damage following a vigil for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted. Attackers used petrol bombs and other projectiles, and the disturbances escalated to racially motivated violence, targeting foreign residents. Police responded with baton rounds and water cannons in an effort to restore order. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher condemned the violence, highlighting its threat to public safety and justice for the victim, and called for an end to the chaos, vowing to identify and prosecute those responsible.
The mindless violence was deeply concerning and unacceptable, endangering lives and jeopardizing the ongoing criminal justice process, which aims to support a victim deserving of truth and protection.
Unrest began after a vigil for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted, leading to racially motivated attacks that left families cowering in homes as mobs vandalized property.
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