After three nights of hate-filled violence, some terrified families in Ballymena have resorted to displaying their nationalities on their front door.
Signs proclaiming “locals live here” or “Filipino lives here” have been put up alongside Union Jack flags in a desperate bid to stop rioters from targeting their homes.
The violent disorder has been slammed as “racist thuggery” and “mob rule” by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who told those threatened or affected by the attacks: “We are with you.”
Clashes erupted after a social media post was circulated advertising a peaceful protest at 7.30pm on Monday evening in response to an alleged serious sexual assault in the Country Antrim town on Saturday.
The Facebook post stated it was to be a “peaceful protest to show our anger at what cannot and will not be tolerated in this town”.
Two 14-year-old boys had appeared in court over the incident that morning, where they denied the charges against them through a Romanian interpreter.
Within 36 hours of the protest, 32 police officers had been injured as the force struggled to keep the peace.
Masked rioters hurled a hatchet, multiple petrol bombs, masonry, bricks and fireworks at officers in the third night of clashes in Ballymena on Wednesday.
Officers responded with water cannon, dogs and plastic baton rounds as unrest spread to other towns including Coleraine and Larne – where a leisure centre was set on fire by masked vandals who also smashed windows.
The site was temporarily housing families who fled the chaos. Although people were inside at the time of the arson attack, no one was hurt, PSNI confirmed.
“At this time, all incidents are being treated as racially-motivated hate crimes,” Chief inspector Mullan said. “We absolutely condemn these disgraceful attacks on our minority ethnic friends and neighbours.
“Those responsible are endangering not only the lives of those inside the properties, but putting themselves at risk of injury.”
Father Michael Sancio, 27, packed up a few belongs and fled his Ballymena home with his wife and daughter after he was woken by masked men banging loudly on their neighbours windows on Tuesday night.
The masked thugs set fire to their car and a bin outside their home. The family, who are originally from the Philippines, are staying outside the town as they no longer feel safe.
“Last night I woke up at 12 midnight because I heard some people outside, and I saw in the window, I saw the other guys wearing a black jacket and black pants, and also they’re wearing a mask,” Mr Sancio told Reuters.
“They started banging the window of our neighbours so I panicked because I have a daughter inside that house.”
Secretary of state for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn joined widespread condemnation of the “shocking” scenes on Thursday, warning there is “absolutely no justification for civil disorder”.
“Whatever views people hold, there is no justification for trying to burn people out of their homes, that is what is going on, and that is what needs to stop because it is shocking and damaging, and it reflects very badly of the image of Northern Ireland that we all want to send to the rest of the world,” he told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme.
Stormont justice minister Naomi Long said it has been a “three-day festival of hate and destruction” which needs to stop before someone loses their life.
She said she will be seeking additional funding for the PSNI in June and commended the force for seeking support through a mutual aid request for additional officers from Great Britain.
“This is not just a few days of violence, this has been wanton destruction on a huge scale, and any police service in these islands who are dealing with this kind of pressure, dealing with the number of officers, now close to 50, who have been injured in the last few days, would clearly be feeling the challenge and the strain,” she told the BBC.
So far three people have been charged following disorder in Ballymena on Tuesday and are due to appear at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court later on Thursday.
One man, aged 18, and two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, have been charged with riot, while the 15-year-old has also been charged with criminal damage.
Two other teenage boys who were arrested during the disorder have been released on bail to allow for further police enquiries.
