Petrol bombs were thrown at police officers in Ballymena, Co Antrim after a large crowd assembled to protest against a recent sexual assault in the town

Police officers and firefighters had to tackle multiple fires while dealing with rioting protestors(Image: X)

This evening, the streets of a small town in the UK erupted as a protest over a recent sexual assault escalated into a riot, with petrol bombs being hurled at police officers.

The chaos unfolded in Ballymena, Co Antrim, in Northern Ireland, after roughly 2,500 individuals assembled to show solidarity with the female assault victim.

Two teenage boys, both 14 years old, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident and charged with attempted rape.

They appeared before Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday morning, denying the charge of attempted oral rape via a Romanian interpreter. By Monday evening, crowds had swarmed outside Ballymena's police station and Clonavon Terrace, near the site of the claimed attack that occurred on Saturday, June 7.

A Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesperson issued a statement: "A number of missiles have been thrown towards police with damage reported to a number of properties. Officers are advising motorists and pedestrians to avoid the Clonavon Road area until further notice."

They went on to say: "It follows a protest in the area earlier this evening. Officers are in attendance to ensure the safety of everyone involved. They will remain in the area tonight to continue to monitor the situation."

Rioters burned barricades, wheelie bins, and vehicles in their outrage

Chief Superintendent Sue Steen has issued a plea for calm amidst the chaos, stating: "We are urging everyone to remain calm and to act responsibly. Violence and disorder will only place people at greater risk. Our priority is to keep the community safe, and I would appeal to everyone to work with us to bring calm to the area as quickly as possible."

After 10.30pm, over an hour since the protests escalated into violence, riot police were spotted arriving in the town centre to tackle the escalating unrest. At the same time, firefighters were busy trying to extinguish wheelie bin fires and stop the flames from reaching adjacent buildings.

Videos circulating on social media show large numbers of people with masks drawn over their faces stood in front of burned properties, some with their windows smashed in. Northern Ireland's Fire Service was seen tackling two property fires on Clonavon Terrace, where the groups had gathered earlier, at around 11.15pm (June 9).

Protestors gathered on Clonavon Terrace, where two homes were later set on fire

NIFRS teams are currently working to put out the fires, while police have reportedly deployed less-than-lethal baton round launchers in an attempt to control the missile-throwing crowds.

An Alliance councillor has urged rioters to "please stop" amid the ongoing unrest.

Cllr Lauren Gray said in a plea on social media: "Appealing for calm in Ballymena right now. I know through my Council colleagues that the vast majority of people there don't support these actions in their community.

"There is no place for violence. Please stop."

BelfastLive reports that "sporadic" rioting has continued into the night, with the atmosphere described as "tense". After midnight, police had managed to push protestors back from Clonavon Terrace, but the crowds continued their disorder.

Crowds watched on as a home was set ablaze on Larne Street in Ballymena

Around 12.30am, another home was set ablaze, this time on Larne Street, after people smashed in windows and set the terraced property on fire.

20 minutes later, PSNI riot vans swarmed the scene and began kicking in doors to get local residents to safety - all while masked crowds watched on and streamed the incident on TikTok.

A large police presence is expected to remain in Ballymena until Tuesday morning.

Stay tuned for further updates to this ongoing incident.