'Disturbing scenes' in Northern Ireland condemned - as several officers injured

Violence has broken out between police and protesters in Northern Ireland where properties have been damaged and missiles have been thrown at officers.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said 15 officers were injured after they came under "sustained attack" from masked rioters, who threw petrol bombs, fireworks, heavy masonry and bricks. Two police vehicles were damaged during the disorder in Ballymena, Co Antrim, while homes and businesses had doors and windows smashed, according to police.

PSNI said four houses were damaged with fire, with three people evacuated, and the incidents are being investigated as "racially-motivated hate attacks". At a press conference later on Tuesday, Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said "this was racist thuggery, plain and simply".

The assistant chief constable said the attacks in Ballymena should be "loudly condemned by all right thinking people," adding: "I want to condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms." "Any attempt to justify or explain it as something else is misplaced," he said. "I cannot imagine the fear felt by those innocent families… I understand their fear." A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of riotous and disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police.

Mr Henderson added that "there will be more [arrests] to follow". Local MP Jim Allister said tensions over immigration had been building for some time, adding that the violence followed a peaceful protest in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault at the weekend.

Two 14-year-old boys were charged with attempted rape and were remanded in custody when they appeared at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday. The charges were read to them by a Romanian interpreter.

Mr Henderson said there was no intelligence suggesting the disorder was orchestrated, but added that some at the protest were "clearly intent on violence" and had prepared petrol bombs and masonry to use as missiles. Justice Minister Naomi Long said: "I am absolutely appalled by the disturbing scenes in Ballymena yesterday evening during which PSNI officers were injured, residents terrorised, and properties damaged.

"There is absolutely no place in our society for such disorder and there can be no justification for it." Police condemned the disorder, which followed an initially peaceful vigil before people wearing masks broke away and started to build barricades, stockpile missiles and attack properties. Local media estimated around 2,500 protesters were involved in the disturbances, which some dubbed "anti-immigrant".

A Romanian mother of three, who lives in one of the targeted houses, said she is scared to stay in the area and her children were asking why they were being attacked. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson called for calm over the coming days and said: "Last night saw significant sustained disorder in Ballymena.

"This violence was clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police. "I want to condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms.

It has no place in our society and should be loudly condemned by all right-thinking people." The prime minister's official spokesman also called the disorder in Ballymena "very concerning.