2025 Northern Ireland riots
| 2025 Northern Ireland riots | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 9–18 June 2025 (1 week and 2 days) | ||
| Location | Various places around Northern Ireland | ||
| Caused by | Alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl by two Romanian-speaking teenagers Anti-immigration sentiment Sectarianism | ||
| Methods | |||
| Resulted in | Exodus of two thirds of the Roma population from Ballymena | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Casualties and losses | |||
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| 3+ police vehicles damaged Multiple homes damaged Multiple businesses damaged Multiple cars torched | |||
Starting on 9 June 2025, riots broke out across Northern Ireland after two Romanian-speaking Roma teenagers were charged with attempted rape after allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Ballymena, a town in County Antrim. Police said the disorder was targeted at ethnic minorities and law enforcement. Across two weeks of disorder, a total of 107 police officers were injured whilst 56 people were arrested, with 27 remanded into custody; across five of the nights, police used a total of 32 attenuating energy projectiles (AEPs).
On the first night of disorder, which was confined to Ballymena, two police cars and multiple properties were damaged, with fifteen police officers being injured and one rioter arrested. The second night saw a further seventeen police officers injured and five people arrested with more property damage across the town; disorder also occurred in Belfast, Carrickfergus, and Newtownabbey. The third night saw more disorder throughout Northern Ireland: nine police officers were injured and seven people were arrested in Ballymena, whilst a leisure centre in Larne was set ablaze. The fourth night saw some respite for Ballymena, with Portadown experiencing the most disorder: 22 police officers were injured there and two people were arrested. Disorder continued for at least six more nights, albeit at a much less violent level.