Amid escalating unrest in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, local leaders of the Church of Ireland have spoken out firmly against the wave of violence and racially charged incidents that have shaken the community this week.
The trouble began following allegations of a sexual assault involving a young girl in the town on Monday. Two teenage boys, whose first court appearance was assisted by a Romanian interpreter, have been charged with attempted oral rape. They deny the charges. Tensions rose quickly after the incident became public, prompting a peaceful vigil that later descended into disorder as groups of hooded youths clashed with police and vandalised shops.
The situation worsened late last night when masked individuals set fire to a leisure centre in County Antrim. The centre had been repurposed as a temporary shelter for families seeking safety from the growing violence in Ballymena. Authorities are treating the arson attack as a hate-motivated incident.
In response, the Bishop of Connor, Rt Rev George Davison, and the Rector of Ballymena, Rev Canon Mark McConnell, issued a joint statement condemning both the violence and the racial targeting that has accompanied the unrest.
“We understand that the community is reeling from the shock of the alleged assault, and the anger that many feel is legitimate and righteous,” the statement read. “But this anger must not become a justification for racism or lawlessness. Violence against women is a tragic and pervasive issue that crosses all ethnic and social lines.”
The church leaders emphasised that a disproportionate focus on the ethnic background of the suspects risks fueling further division. “Statistically, most such crimes in Northern Ireland are committed by individuals from within the majority population,” they said. “To attribute violence against women to any one ethnic group is not only misleading—it is dangerous.”
They also made a broader call for peace and civic responsibility. “We appeal to all people of goodwill: do not take part in actions that stoke further violence or fear in our streets. Let us not allow our community to be torn apart by hatred disguised as justice.”
Local authorities are working to restore calm to the area and have increased police presence around community centres and key public spaces. Political leaders have echoed the Church’s call for peace, warning that unchecked vigilante behavior only undermines the pursuit of justice through lawful means.
The comparison has been drawn by some to last year’s riots in parts of England, which followed the murder of three young girls in Southport and similarly resulted in outbreaks of vigilante violence and xenophobic scapegoating.
