Police attacked as unrest in Northern Ireland spreads to another town

WorldPolitics
13 Jun 2025 • 6:15 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Police in Northern Ireland have faced a fourth consecutive night of attacks, with officers targeted by missiles in Portadown following earlier unrest in Ballymena.
  • The violence was triggered by an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena. Two teenage boys charged with attempted rape have faced court with the aid of a Romanian interpreter.
  • Police Chief Jon Boutcher said the alleged victim's family is “mortified” by the disorder and is pleading for the violence to stop.
  • Mr Boutcher warned “bigots and racists” behind the unrest that his officers will be coming after them.
  • Forty-one officers had been injured and 15 people arrested as of Thursday evening, with police deploying water cannons, dogs, and plastic baton rounds to disperse crowds.

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