Police were attacked with bricks and fireworks on a third night of violent disorder in a town in Northern Ireland on Wedneday night.
Houses, cars, and a leisure centre were also set alight by the protesters, who were eventually dispersed by officers firing plastic baton rounds and using water cannons.
The trouble in Ballymena, in County Antrim, broke out on Monday after an alleged sexual assault on a girl in the area.
Ethnic minorities appeared to be targeted across the three nights of violence, with some residents resorting to displaying signs in their home windows to show their nationalities.
A senior police officer has condemned the disorder as “racist thuggery”.
Follow our live coverage of the Northern Ireland riots here.
What is happening in Ballymena?
On Monday night, unrest broke out around Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena, where several houses had their windows smashed and two suffered significant smoke damage.
A total of 15 police officers were injured and several Police Service Northern Ireland vehicles targeted, as authorities attempted to stop the disorder.
Monday night’s violence was followed by further trouble on Tuesday night in the Clonavon Terrace, North Road and Bridge Street areas, where police came under attack from masked protesters throwing fireworks, glass bottles and pieces of metal.
Hundreds of people had gathered from around 7pm, with officers in amour firing plastic baton rounds at some of those gathered. Water cannons were also used. A total of 17 police officers were injured during the second night.
Five people were also arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour.
As rioters were dispersed into other parts of the town, a property on Bridge Street and a home on Queen Street were set on fire.
Multiple cars were also set alight as part of blazes set by rioters, including near a car wash and tyre centre off Bridge Street and on Larne Street.
Calm was restored by around 1am on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night, the rioting continued for the third day.
A group of “masked thugs” set fire to Larne Leisure Centre in County Antrim.
The PSNI deployed riot police in Ballymena as a significant crowd gathered around the Clonavon Terrace area.
Riot police with shields advanced on crowds to disperse them, and officers also used dog units and drones in their response to the gathering.
By Wednesday, six individuals had been arrested for public order offences, and one charged.
How did the riots start?
The unrest started after a peaceful protest on Monday which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area.
In connection with the incident, two 14-year-old boys have appeared in court charged with attempted rape. The charges were read to the teenagers by a Romanian interpreter.
On Monday night, a third arrest was made, but the 28-year-old man was unconditionally released from police custody following questioning.
Where is Ballymena and what is it like?
Ballymena is town which has a 30,000 population and is located a 30-minute drive from Belfast.
Described in tourist brochures as a pretty shopping town, its main roads resembled a war zone on Tuesday night as tensions boiled over in the community.
With ethnic minorities appearing to be targeted, residents have chosen to display signs about the nationalities of those normally resident, including one saying “British household” and another with “Filipino lives here”.
Police said there had also been “sporadic disorder” in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, as well incidents in north Belfast.
In Carrickfergus, two bins were set alight and bottles and bricks thrown at police in the Sunnylands area by a group of 20 to 30 young people.
In Newtownabbey bins were set alight at the roundabout on O’Neill Road.
What has the reaction been to the events?
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he “utterly condemns” violence which left 32 police officers injured after the second night of disturbances.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir condemned the “mindless attacks” against police.
“I utterly condemn the violence that we have seen overnight in Ballymena and in other parts of Northern Ireland, including against PSNI officers,” Sir Keir told MPs.
“It’s absolutely vital that the PSNI are given the time they need to investigate the incidents concerned rather than face mindless attacks as they seek to bring peace and order to keep people safe.”.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the rioting “risks undermining” the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in Ballymena at the weekend.
Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course.
In a joint statement, ministers from across the Stormont powersharing Executive, which includes Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but “division and disorder”.
First minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly later appeared together to voice their condemnation.
Sinn Fein vice-president Ms O’Neill told reporters in Belfast: “It’s pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.”
What happens now?
A heavy police presence remains in Ballymena as the disorder continues, while work starts to clear the streets of debris and repair damage to homes and businesses.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the force would be bringing extra officers, vehicles and equipment to areas where unrest has flared.
He said they have requested about 80 officers through mutual aid.
A 29-year-old man was charged with riotous behaviour after being arrested on Monday night. He will appear before the courts.
