'Sinister' atmosphere as leisure centre attacked during NI rioting
A man who was inside a leisure centre during violent disorder on Wednesday night has spoken of the fear among customers and staff.
Northern Ireland Assembly Member Danny Donnelly said Larne Leisure Centre was being used by families and children for swimming and classes at the time of attack.
On Wednesday night, masked youths attacked the leisure centre and set it on fire. The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families following the clashes in Ballymena, the council said.
Donnelly said there was "clearly a malicious attempt developing" as masked youths gathered outside the centre carrying bricks.
"It was very, very sinister, the atmosphere certainly felt to me very, very threatening," he added.
"The staff made sure people were getting out and getting to their cars safely," he said.
"They were managing the door of the premises to make sure, that despite repeated attempts to get in - people who were... in masks and things - were not accessing the property," Donnelly took BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.
"It became more and more sinister, and it became more and more obvious that there was a malicious intent, you know, you don't come to a peaceful protest with a mask and bricks."
He said as people and children become "fearful" staff helped people "to leave via the side doors and get to their cars safely".
"There was a brick that came through the window while there were women doing a class, so on the floor on yoga matts.
"And a brick came, quite a large brick, came flying through the window, thankfully nobody was hurt but as you can imagine there was glass everywhere and the women had to get up and leave," he said.
Donnelly said it quickly became violent and the windows of the leisure centre were "systematically being put in".
He added that there was paint being thrown over fire doors and described it as a "sustained attack" on the building.
"They were already throwing bricks at the police as well," he said.
"Now at that point as the glass was coming in around them, the staff then left through the back door, very fearful for their own safety".
Donnelly has appealed for calm across Northern Ireland.
"Larne doesn't need this, Northern Ireland doesn't need this, no town needs this," he said.
"We've lost services at our leisure centre, the staff were incredibly shocked and frightened. Families were in sight of this last night."
Donnolly was among a number of elected representatives criticising a Stormont minister over a social media post about the location of migrant families who left their homes hours before the centre was attacked.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons of the Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP) said that people caught up in clashes in Ballymena were being temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre.
Sinn Féin Finance Minister John O'Dowd claimed Lyons "failed to show leadership".
Donnelly said: "I thought it was incredibly reckless and dangerous to highlight the location of where these people were being kept and brought to a place of safety."
"If I was the Minister, I would certainly be considering my position," he added.
Lyons has defended his comments saying the information was in the public domain, and had been confirmed by the local council.
How a peaceful protest descended into hate-filled violence
Seventeen police officers injured during second night of Ballymena violence
Ballymena violence 'pure racism' and must stop - O'Neill
Minister refuses to resign over 'reckless' Facebook post
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Families in emergency accommodation after days of unrest
About 50 households in Northern Ireland have received assistance since disorder broke out in Ballymena this week, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has said. Some 14 families have also been provided with emergency accommodation during the disorder. The disorder started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in the County Antrim town. Police said 63 of their officers have been injured over four nights of violence after coming under "sustained attack with heavy masonry and fireworks". Stormont's finance minister will bring a proposal to the executive for additional funding for the PSNI, Michelle O'Neill has said. The PSNI Chief Constable has repeatedly raised concerns about resources for the force, and did so again on Thursday following several nights of disorder. Justice Minister Naomi Long said she was "delighted" that it looks as though the executive would agree a bid of £5m she had submitted to assist the PSNI with the costs of the past week's unrest. "It's a good start but long-term investment is required." A family with children were moved from a house in Coleraine after they were targeted in a racially motivated arson attack, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The PSNI said they received a report at approximately 03:00 BST on Friday of a fire at the rear of a property in the Mount Street area of the town. They said an oil tank had been set alight, causing damage to the outside of the property and filling the property with smoke. "A man and woman and their four young children who were inside the house at the time were thankfully able to escape uninjured," a spokesperson said. NIHE chief executive Grainia Long said she expects the number of people seeking help to rise, adding that demand for emergency and temporary accommodation is extremely high. Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme, Ms Long described the last week as "extraordinary", saying there is an "unprecedented number of families locally who feel it is unsafe to stay in their home". "Demand is extremely high, and it has been one of those weeks where everyone has had to move very quickly to respond." "We do expect the numbers to increase as households make decisions about what is safe for them." While demand for temporary housing is on the rise, Ms Long said the availability of appropriate housing is an issue. "We don't have any contingency or additional accommodation," she said. "We are working to make sure we have the right numbers of temporary accommodation." She added that NIHE staff "have been out on the ground, supporting communities, working within them and ensuring their safety", as well as "working with older people who are scared and asking questions about their safety". Ms Long told BBC News NI that she is "worried about households that we may lose contact with, those who may be vulnerable to exploitation, particularly those with children". There has been disorder in Northern Ireland for four nights in a row, with a lower level seen on Thursday than earlier in the week. Police said that in some instances families hid in attics and wardrobes during the disorder. In east Belfast, police said bricks were thrown through the windows of two houses on Avoniel Road in a racially motivated attack. A small fire was lit at the Manse Road roundabout in Newtownabbey, and reports of anti-immigration "hate graffiti" are being investigated in Newtownards. During the first three days of violence, 41 officers were injured and 15 people arrested. On Thursday evening, about 100 people attended an anti-racism protest in west Belfast. Carol Topping, who is from the Philippines, works in a hospital and had to leave early when she heard about the protest. She said she stayed at home out of fear during the unrest in Portadown. She said: "It's nice to live here. People are nice." But added that on Thursday night, "People were not... thinking straight". "I was thinking whenever they see people from other [countries] they'll just go mad and I don't want to experience that." Deimantas Žakevičius, from Lithuania, has lived in Northern Ireland for five years. After returning home from work, Deimantas started to hear alarms and looked out of the window to see police in riot gear on one side of the street and people, on the other side throwing rocks. "It was something out of a movie," Deimantas said. He said he was "worried" but started to feel "safe" when police began pushing the rioters back. Deimantas said his neighbours are friendly and Portadown is a nice place to live but he and others were "unsettled" by events on Thursday. There is no "crisis" of relations within the executive despite calls for the DUP minister Gordon Lyons to resign over his comments about recent trouble in Northern Ireland, the first minister has said. Michelle O'Neill had accused Mr Lyons of "inflaming tensions" following his social media post about the location of migrant families who fled their homes earlier this week. Lyons, Stormont's housing minister, said he had no intention of resigning and that he had been subject to a "political pile-on". Speaking at the British-Irish Council on Friday, O'Neill said she stood over her comments, but insisted Sinn Fein and the DUP could "still get on with governance". Sinn Féin, Alliance and the Green Party had all called on the minister to consider his position on Thursday. Meanwhile, senior health professionals in Northern Ireland have issued a joint statement saying the "appalling and violent scenes of recent days are nothing short of shameful". "We know there will be many of our international colleagues within the committed and dedicated health and social care and independent sector workforce who will be distressed by what has unfolded," the statement adds. "We know that, less than a year after similar scenes on our streets last summer, you are once again left feeling frightened and anxious. "But please know this: You are welcome, you are deeply valued, and you have our full support. We are the better for your presence here." Masonry thrown at police in Portadown in fourth night of NI disorder Man trapped inside leisure centre tells of fear as rioters attacked How a peaceful protest descended into hate-filled violence Bulgarian mother of two leaving Ballymena 'to save my children' Does the PSNI have the resources needed to deal with the riots?
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Benn defends collaboration with Irish Government over legacy issues
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has said he will make no apology for working with the Irish Government on legacy issues after the leader of the DUP launched a stinging attack on his approach. Mr Benn was responding after Gavin Robinson branded the UK Government minister as 'foolish and hapless' in relation to his handling of efforts to deal with the legacy of the Troubles. Mr Robinson claimed Mr Benn's actions amounted to a 'disgraceful' attempt to 'satisfy the Irish Government'. The Northern Ireland Secretary was asked about the remarks as he attended a meeting of the British Irish Council in Newcastle, Co Down on Friday. 'I make no apology at all for trying to work with the Irish Government, because the lesson, indeed exemplified by the Good Friday Agreement, is we make most progress when we work together,' he said. 'And that is what I'm determined to do in the interests of truth and reconciliation and, finally, giving answers to families who have suffered so much.' Mr Robinson's hard-hitting statement on Friday morning came amid mounting expectation that the two governments will soon set out an agreed framework for addressing legacy issues related to the Northern Ireland conflict. Also responding to the DUP leader's criticism, Irish premier Micheal Martin and deputy premier Simon Harris both moved to defend Mr Benn as they praised his efforts to work with their Government to try to resolve outstanding issues around unsolved murder cases and families who continue to seek truth and justice for lost loved ones. They also rejected Mr Robinson's assertion that the Dublin government has adopted a 'scandalous approach to legacy' in failing to rigorously investigate and provide answers on atrocities with a cross-border dimension. The DUP leader made his statement after Mr Benn announced the appointment of a chair to lead a public inquiry into the 1989 loyalist murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane. Mr Robinson believes the Finucane case is indicative of a government approach that sees the 'distasteful elevation' of some high-profile cases while countless other victims still await answers with no prospect of public inquiries. The DUP leader claimed 'Hapless Hilary' was pursing this stance while continuing to keep private any details on what he was negotiating with the Irish Government. 'The Irish Government have knowledge of and influence upon UK legacy plans, yet Northern Ireland victims, veterans and Parliamentarians are kept in the dark by the Secretary of State without so much as a blush on his face,' he said. 'Not for the first time, he advances a one-sided, partisan approach to the politics of Northern Ireland.' Since taking office last year, the Labour Government has pledged to repeal and replace some of the provisions of the contentious Legacy Act that was introduced by the last Conservative government, and bring forward a revised framework for dealing with cases linked to the Troubles. The Irish Government has been involved in the process, and political leaders in Dublin have said intensive engagement is ongoing to see if a 'landing zone' can be arrived at. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 halted scores of civil cases and inquests into Troubles deaths and also offered conditional immunity to perpetrators of conflict-related crimes in exchange for their co-operation with a new investigatory and truth recovery body. The Act was opposed by all the main political parties in Northern Ireland, the Irish government and many victims' representative groups. In 2023, the Irish government initiated an interstate legal case against the UK in the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the Legacy Act breached the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The case remains active, with ministers in Dublin wanting to see how Labour resolves its concerns over the legislation before any decision is taken to withdraw the action. Mr Benn told reporters in Newcastle that it was incumbent on all political leaders to finally secure agreement on legacy. 'Legacy is the unfinished business of the Good Friday Agreement,' he said. 'It was the issue which the Good Friday Agreement, which achieved so much, was unable to take forward. 'And I would simply say we, all of us, as politicians, as leaders, have a responsibility to try and find a way forward so that we can bring truth and justice for everyone, in particular for the families who, after decades, are still waiting for answers as to what happened to their loved ones when they were murdered.' At the press conference after the BIC, Mr Martin made a point of backing Mr Benn's stance. 'I firstly want to pay tribute to the Secretary of State for his honesty, his determination in the way he has pursued this issue of legacy, and indeed many other issues since he became Secretary of State,' he said. 'And we have welcomed his very open and determined approach. I would never question his bona fides in doing the very best for the people of Northern Ireland, and in terms of ensuring a very strong relationship between British and Irish Governments.' Mr Harris, who also attended the BIC summit, said the Governments were 'close to a way forward on legacy'. The Tanaiste added: 'And what I would say to Gavin, respectfully, and I said this to him when I met him, the country that I represent will play our part as well in relation to legacy, and we've shown that already on a number of occasions, and we will absolutely in any legacy framework want to make sure that all victims, all families, regardless of where on the island of Ireland an atrocity occurs, can get answers, can get truth, and can, of course, get justice where possible.' DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly echoed the sentiments expressed by her party leader as she answered questions on the controversy following the BIC. 'I think there's a lot to be critical about in terms of the approach to legacy by the Secretary of State,' she said. Ms Little-Pengelly said many of the issues Mr Benn was considering related to matters that were devolved to Stormont. She added: 'For our part, we are absolutely clear that all victims should get access to justice. All victims should feel very clearly in our system that their loved ones mattered equally. 'Unfortunately, we've had a number of announcements on part of legacy, but not on the rest, and that leaves many victims and survivors concerned about what's happening in relation to that.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Police attacked as Northern Irish violence spreads to another town
PORTADOWN, Northern Ireland (Reuters) -Rioters attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and fireworks in the Northern Irish town of Portadown on Thursday, a Reuters witness said, as a fourth night of anti-immigrant violence moved to a different part of the British-run province. Violence first flared on Monday after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town. The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court they denied the charge, the BBC reported. One of a number of anti-immigration protests on Thursday was held in Portadown, 50 kilometres from the capital Belfast. A large policing operation of officers in riot gear and armoured vans closed off a number of roads in advance. Debris was strewn across streets and wheelie bins were set on fire. Other protests passed off without major incident, including in Ballymena, the primary flashpoint of the first two nights of more intense violence, local media reported. Paul Frew, a member of the regional assembly from Ballymena, said that while some people gathered on the streets again amidst a big police presence, it was much quieter and that heavy rainfall had helped keep people away. "Hopefully we're through the worst of it," Frew, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party, told the BBC. (Reporting Clodagh Kilcoyne and Ben Makori in Portadown, Amanda Ferguson in Belfast; Writing by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
