Police attacked as Northern Irish violence spreads to another town

On Thursday, rioters in the Northern Irish town of Portadown assaulted police using petrol bombs, stones, and fireworks, according to a Reuters witness, as the fourth night of anti-immigrant unrest shifted to another area of the British-administered province.

Violence erupted on Monday following the arrest of two 14-year-old boys, who appeared in court charged with a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town. The boys were informed of the charges through a Romanian interpreter, and their lawyer informed the court that they denied the accusation. One of several anti-immigration demonstrations took place on Thursday in Portadown, which is 50 kilometers away from Belfast, the capital. A significant law enforcement operation involving officers in riot gear and armored vehicles blocked several roads beforehand. Rubble was spread across the streets and trash bins were ignited.

Other demonstrations occurred without significant incidents, including in Ballymena, the main hotspot during the first two nights of heightened violence, local media reported.

Paul Frew, a Ballymena regional assembly member, noted that although some individuals congregated on the streets again with a significant police presence, it was considerably calmer, and the heavy rain contributed to fewer people attending.