Northern Ireland: Houses set on fire in Ballymena anti-immigration protest Video

A night of serious disorder in Ballymena has left several homes gutted by fire and a community reeling, after what began as a protest in support of a teenage girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted turned into widespread violence.

Emergency services were called to Clonavon Terrace late on June 9 after masked youths launched a series of coordinated attacks on properties, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

By June 10 morning, bricks, shattered glass and broken bottles littered the street, while the charred remains of at least four houses stood as evidence of the destruction.

Footage from the scene showed individuals smashing windows and attempting to ignite curtains inside homes.

🚨ATTEMPTED RAPE BY A MIGRANT IN BALLYMENA, NORTHERN IRELAND

This is going to get very ugly if the government don’t act.

And they won’t.

They will let you be angry so they can point their fingers at you and say YOU are the problem.

We need deportations yesterday.

People have… pic.twitter.com/yLYV6MYQjB

— Scott Lewis (@WarriorSpeech28) June 9, 2025

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were seen forcing entry into some of the buildings amid fears that occupants might be trapped.

The unrest erupted near the location where a teenage girl is said to have been the victim of a serious sexual assault over the weekend. Initial gatherings were reportedly held in solidarity with the girl’s family.

However, the atmosphere quickly deteriorated, with violent elements hijacking the demonstration.

Masked assailants were witnessed kicking in doors and hurling missiles. Paint and pieces of masonry were thrown at police vehicles, with one PSNI patrol car appearing to suffer a broken window after being struck.

🚨BREAKING: Massive disorder in Ballymena Northern Ireland last night, migrant houses have been set on fire and damaged following the rape of young girls at the weekend.

The fake news want you to believe it was two teenage boys that raped a young girl, no mention of Romanian… pic.twitter.com/Ek9jlXCsyY

— The Yorkshire Lass (@real_shirelass) June 10, 2025

A separate arson incident was also reported in nearby Cullybackey, where a car was set alight later in the evening.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers, including riot units, were deployed early to stabilise the situation. The force used Land Rovers to block access to Clonavon Terrace, and a drone was seen monitoring the area from above. Despite a heavy police presence, the violence escalated overnight.

Several other properties were also damaged, with broken windows and even an overturned boat seen in the street. Residents have been advised to avoid the Clonavon Road area until further notice.

Chief Superintendent Sue Steen appealed for calm: “We are urging everyone to remain calm and to act responsibly. 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.”

In a statement, the PSNI confirmed officers would maintain a presence in the area overnight to ensure public safety and monitor developments.

The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, and no arrests have been confirmed at this time.

By Aghakazim Guliyev