Riots in Northern Ireland after two Romanian boys were charged with rape
Protests that were initially peaceful quickly turned violent after two 14-year-old Romanian boys were charged with the rape of a teenage girl in the small town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland. The alleged rape took place Saturday, June 7, and their case was heard the following Monday.
The BBC, which did not release the identities of the two boys because they are minors, did note that they spoke to the court through a Romanian language translator. The boys were remanded in custody until July 2 when they are due to appear by videolink at the youth court at Ballymena Magistrates' Court.
The same day, several hundred locals marched in Ballymena. People gathered in support of the girl’s family but masked men began throwing bricks at police, which did not retaliate. Afterwards, rioters vandalized several houses, allegedly belonging to Romanian immigrant families, and set them on fire overnight.
Overall, fifteen officers were injured, and some required hospital treatment. Two police vehicles were also damaged during the disorder.
Officers said that the violence was clearly racially-motivated. The alleged victim’s family condemned the violence.
Online, calls were issued for Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland to unite against those coming from other countries. Nevertheless, the identity of the alleged perpetrators could not be verified, as both the police and British media are refraining from offering details that could escalate the conflict.
(Photo source: Flynt | Dreamstime.com)
