A peaceful vigil for a teenage girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys has erupted into some of the worst street violence Northern Ireland has seen in years.Police say the trouble began soon after the vigil ended.Two 14-year-old boys, both using a Romanian interpreter in court, were charged earlier that day with attempted rape and claim to be innocent. Masked youths later threw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at officers, set cars on fire, and tried to torch homes belonging to immigrant families. Filipino residents were among those who fled, fearing further attacks.By Wednesday, police reported 41 officers injured. .Riot units responded with plastic baton rounds, water cannons, and dog teams while reinforcements arrived from other parts of the United Kingdom. Although the flashpoint remained in Ballymena’s Clonavon Terrace, violence expanded into Larne, Carrickfergus, and Newtownabbey. In Larne, rioters set fire to a leisure centre that had been sheltering migrant families. Women and children were rushed out as flames spread through the building. Officers arrested several teens aged 15 to 18 on riot and criminal damage counts, along with a 29-year-old man. .Investigators are treating the assaults on property as hate crimes. Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long condemned what she called “racist thuggery,” warning that the situation is “only a petrol bomb away from tragedy.” Local community leaders appealed for calm and urged residents to reject efforts to pit neighbours against one another. While rioting had calmed down on Thursday morning, a heavy police presence remains. Officials say their priority is protecting vulnerable migrant families.
