Star Metro - N.Ireland politicians urge end to racially motivated riots

The unrest that injured 15 police officers on Monday and 17 on Tuesday has included rioters throwing petrol bombs, fireworks and bricks at homes and businesses.

It was triggered by the arrest of two teenagers accused of attempting to rape a young girl. The pair appeared in court on Monday where they asked for a Romanian interpreter.

"We strongly condemn the racially motivated violence witnessed in recent days and make an urgent appeal for calm across society," ministers from every party in the province's power-sharing executive said in a joint statement.

Residents had been "terrorised" and police injured, they added, urging people to reject the "divisive agenda being pushed by a "destructive" minority.

"There can never be any justification for the violence that has taken place in recent days," said the leaders.

Traditional foes such as the republican Sinn Fein and pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party joined in the statement.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill, the Sinn Fein vice president, called the riots "abhorrent", while Starmer condemned them as "mindless attacks".

- Police 'prepared' for more -

Six people were arrested during the second night of riots in Ballymena, around 48 kilometres (30 miles) northwest of Belfast, and other places.

Police will not confirm the ethnicity of the two teenagers who remain in custody, but areas attacked on Monday included those where Romanian migrants live.

Four houses were damaged by fire, while rioters smashed windows and doors of homes and businesses.

"Police officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks in their direction," the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said in a statement.

Some of the injured officers required hospital treatment.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson told a press conference on Wednesday that his "nearly 30 years in policing makes me absolutely alert to the fact we could see more tonight, and that's why we're preparing and planned for that."

Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour while a sixth was detained on suspicion of disorderly behaviour in Newtownabbey, one of four other places including Belfast where protests erupted.

- 'Terrifying' -

Tensions in Ballymena, which has a large migrant population, remained high on Tuesday.

Residents told AFP of "terrifying" scenese in which attackers targeted "foreigners".

Henderson on Tuesday denounced the violence as "racist thuggery" and that was "clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police".

The unrest comes as immigration is increasingly a hot-button issue across the United Kingdom and in the neighbouring Republic of Ireland.

Former Northern Ireland minister Lord Caine hit out at the protestors: "There is nothing remotely British about wrapping oneself in the Union flag, attacking migrants, forcing people from their homes and scapegoating entire communities anywhere in the United Kingdom."

Official figures do not indicate how many are longstanding residents or recent immigrants but the last census in 2021 put the number of Romanian-born people living in the province at 6,612.

A.Landry--SMC