Baton Rounds Used in Ballymena as Racial Tensions Spark Second Night of Unrest

Ballymena Turmoil: Baton Rounds and Water Cannons Amid Racial Tensions

Flames lit up the skies in Ballymena for a second night straight, as racial tensions exploded into street violence that left police battered, homes marked by nationality, and locals barricaded in their own houses. Even for a part of Northern Ireland familiar with unrest, the chaos this week took a new and ugly turn.

Tuesday night, police riot squads, shielded behind armored vehicles and backed by water cannons, faced off with crowds hurling petrol bombs, fireworks, and bricks. Plastic baton rounds flew through the air as officers pushed back against groups intent on mayhem. The confrontation left 15 police officers injured, according to official numbers, while at least a handful of cars and homes went up in flames. Some homes were daubed with signs glaringly stating residents’ nationalities. Spotting ‘British household’ or similar markers taped to doors, many in the community say, brought a chilling sense of intimidation.

Police say the flare-up has clear racial undertones. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson slammed the attacks as ‘racist thuggery’ and promised a determined hunt for those responsible. Dog units, riot police, and plainclothes teams began sweeping through the area, with officers reportedly combing through CCTV and social media footage to piece together who was on the front lines of the violence.

Fears of More Violence Linger as Community on Edge

This surge in violence didn’t happen in a vacuum. The unrest started after a peaceful rally in support of a family devastated by an alleged sexual assault on a young girl over the weekend. That case rattled locals, especially when it came out that two 14-year-old boys—who needed a Romanian interpreter in court—were charged with attempted rape. Residents’ rage over the case quickly blurred, though, swirling into anti-immigrant sentiment and racially motivated aggression.

The scenes on the streets forced many families indoors. Some, too scared to remain downstairs, crammed themselves into attic spaces, worried their homes might be next. For others, the targeting of their nationality on their front doors signaled a community fracturing along uneasy lines.

On Tuesday, the police announced a third arrest related to the investigation into the alleged assault. But as officers braced for more trouble, the underlying tensions showed no sign of easing. Journalists on the scene, like Sky News' Connor Gillies, reported residents anxious this could spiral for weeks, with nervous glances out windows and community leaders struggling to calm things down.

National politicians have started taking notice, too. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman called the situation 'very concerning', pointing to the attacks against ethnic minorities as especially troubling. Human rights groups have urged police to protect vulnerable residents and pursue those fanning the flames. Meanwhile, local politicians are racing to bring together different groups in Ballymena, hoping to cool things off before the violence becomes an entrenched pattern.

Right now, Ballymena stands as a warning of how quickly fear and anger can be redirected onto newcomers and minorities, especially when crime and rumor collide. As armored police patrol the streets and neighbors wonder what comes next, everyone’s watching to see whether calm or chaos wins out this week.