PA MediaFirst Minister Michelle O’Neill has said the violence in Ballymena over the last two nights is “pure racism, there’s no other way to dress it up”.
Petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks were thrown at police on Tuesday night, in a second night of serious disorder the County Antrim town of Ballymena.
The disorder began on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town.
Thirty-two police officers have been injured.
O’Neill said the attacks on families across Northern Ireland and rioting in Ballymena are “abhorrent and must stop immediately”.
She said those responsible “bring nothing to our communities but hatred, fear and division”.
She added: “No-one, now or ever, should feel the need to place a sticker on their door to identify their ethnicity just to avoid being targeted.”
The Sinn Féin deputy leader said it’s “important that political leaders are very clear in terms of the language that they use and the words that they use and that they don’t conflate issues”.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly added: “Today there are some very serious issues in terms of the disorder and violence, the absolute unacceptable nature of the thuggery that we have seen over the course of the last two days.”
She said the violence was “serving no purpose whatsoever” but was damaging communities.
“Violence is wrong, it is entirely unacceptable, it must stop.”
Ministers appeal for calm
In a joint statement, politicians in the Northern Ireland Executive appealed for calm.
The statement on behalf of ministers from Sinn Féin, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Alliance Party and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) said: “We strongly condemn the racially motivated violence witnessed in recent days and make an urgent appeal for calm across society.
“The alleged serious sexual assault reported on 7 June in Ballymena was appalling and our collective thoughts are with the victim and their loved ones at this deeply traumatic time.
“It is paramount that the justice process is now allowed to take its course so that this heinous crime can be robustly investigated.
“Those weaponising the situation in order to sow racial tensions do not care about seeing justice and have nothing to offer their communities but division and disorder.”
The statement added: “While all of our citizens have the right to engage in peaceful protest, there can never be any justification for the violence that has taken place in recent days, during which residents have been terrorised and numerous police officers injured.”
The politicians urged “everyone in our communities to play their part” in rejecting “the divisive agenda being pursued by a minority of destructive, bad faith actors”.
PA MediaDUP North Antrim assembly member Paul Frew said he fears someone will be killed in Ballymena if the violence continues.
Frew said the disorder is “drowning out the strong and sincere sympathies for victims of sexual violence”.
The UUP said there is no justification for the “mayhem” that has happened over the last two nights and street violence is not a “legitimate” way to express concerns over the alleged sexual assault.
Party leader Mike Nesbitt said: “My thoughts are with those who have lost their homes and the greater number who are feeling intimidated and unwelcome.
“I also stand in solidarity with the blue lights, not just the PSNI but also the Fire and Rescue Service, who have had to deal with a number of house fires.”
‘Underlying tensions’
Speaking to BBC Newsline on Tuesday, North Antrim MP Jim Allister said underlying tensions in Ballymena had been “there for a long time” because there was “an oversubscription of migrants who had been placed there”.
When asked about what evidence he was drawing on, the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) said the last time he canvassed a street in the area with 50 houses, he came “upon five local, if I can call them that, residents of Ballymena”.
After Tuesday night’s violence, he posted on social media: “Tonight’s further senseless violence in Ballymena is helping no cause, just destroying our own town and getting young men criminal records. Stop it.”
SDLP leader Claire Hanna responded by saying “some politicians are choosing to explain away” episodes of violence.
“We are hearing words of condemnation which are, at best insincere, and many people would describe as weaselly,” she added.
“You can choose each day when you have a mandate and a platform to get up and try and solve problems or you can choose to exploit them, you can choose to try to calm tensions or you can try and fan them.”
Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was appalled by the “disturbing scenes”, while Sinn Féin’s Philip McGuigan, who represents the North Antrim constituency, appealed for calm and urged political leaders to “use measured language”.
