What Sparked the Outrage in Ireland? A Closer Look at the Ballymena Protests

Violence Erupts in Ballymena Amid Protest

Dublin: Recent protests in Ireland turned violent as demonstrators clashed with police, throwing petrol bombs and igniting fires in response to a sexual assault case.

The unrest was triggered by the court appearance of two teenage boys accused of attempting to rape a girl in Ballymena, located in County Antrim.

According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, officers faced attacks involving various projectiles, leading to significant damage to properties.

Chief Superintendent Sue Steen called for calm, urging the community to act responsibly, stating, "Violence and disorder will only place people at greater risk. Our priority is to keep the community safe, and I would appeal to everyone to work with us to bring calm to the area as quickly as possible."

As reported by RTE News, the two accused teenagers, both Romanian, appeared virtually in court and communicated through an interpreter.

District Judge Peter King ordered that the teenagers remain in custody until their next hearing at a youth court in Ballymena on July 2.

Thousands gathered in Ballymena to protest the ongoing sexual assault case, but the situation escalated from a peaceful demonstration to public disorder.

Chaos ensued as masked individuals attacked police vehicles and hurled objects at officers, while others engaged in arson and vandalism, smashing windows.

Social media footage showed a masked protester throwing an object at a police van, with thick black smoke rising as flames engulfed an area near a house with broken windows.