Northern Ireland Faces Widespread Riots Across Multiple Towns

Northern Ireland is experiencing a wave of violent disturbances and rioting across several towns, including Ballymena and Portadown, with more than 60 police officers injured during confrontations involving petrol bombs, fireworks, and masonry. A rally held at Belfast City Hall, attended by hundreds, called for political leadership to oppose racism, with Amnesty International Northern Ireland director Patrick Corrigan warning that the region is "just one petrol bomb away from racially motivated murder." The rally emphasized the dangers of political rhetoric that links immigration to crime and social problems, which fuels division and hatred, and called for leaders to promote human rights and community protection. The unrest initially followed an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena and has since spread, with police using water cannon to disperse rioters and several arrests made on suspicion of riotous behavior. Political figures including Belfast’s deputy Lord Mayor and local MPs condemned the violence and called for calm, stressing the long-term harm caused by such unrest. Campaigners and officials alike urged for unity and condemned the violence as an assault on law and order, underscoring the need to address underlying issues of racism and inequality.