Ballymena rioter sets himself on fire with petrol as locals put nationalities on doors.uk
Crowds of missile-throwing rioters have taken over the streets of Ballymena for a second night after two boys were charged with an alleged sexual assault
An attempt to chuck a petrol bomb at police in Ballymena backfired, Tuesday (June 10) (Image: x)
A balaclava-wearing rioter who was throwing objects at police in Ballymena received almost instant karma for his actions, after an attempt to lob a petrol bomb at officers severely backfired.
The town in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, saw thousands of people descend for a mass protest yesterday (June 9) after two 14-year-old boys were arrested over the weekend in connection with an alleged sexual assault that took place near Clonavon Terrace. On Monday morning, both youth defendants denied the charge of attempted oral rape to a magistrates court.
As darkness blanketed the town on Monday, rioters were seen smashing in the windows of two homes on the road near where the alleged offence took place, before they were set alight and gutted by flames. By 2am, multiple fires had been set and around 15 police officers had been injured in the hours of street battles.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson slammed the riots as an act of “racist thuggery”, which has put ethnic minorities on edge. Tragically, as the sun dawned on the smashed glass and burnt-out wheelie bins on the streets of Ballymena, some people in the town felt the need to put their national flags over their doors in fear of having their home targeted by the roving masked gangs.
A protestor caught fire after his petrol bomb appeared to fail (Image: @X)
One such masked individual made the failed attempt to chuck a Molotov cocktail at riot police on the second night of disorder that has broken out today.
Wearing a light grey tracksuit with its hood up, videos circulating on social media show the rioter attempting to lob a flaming bottle. However, something goes wrong and they find themselves covered in the burning liquid.
In a panic, the individual turns to the crowd behind him and begins to gingerly run towards them, while the flames appear to grow and take hold over their rear end.
Then, other people in the crowd rush forward to put the burning protester out.
As of 11pm on Tuesday, the wider disorder in Ballymena has continued to escalate with multiple water hoses and dog units deployed in an attempt to control the rioters.
Riot police were deployed around the Clonavon Terrace area on Tuesday night as hundreds of people have gathered in the Co Antrim town. PSNI vehicles formed barricades on some roads while riot police wearing armour and carrying shields stood nearby.
However, multiple blazes can be seen across the town, with police officers having rocks, paint, and other missiles thrown at them. Multiple cars were burned outside the town hall, just as dusk began to fall.
Stewart Dickson, Alliance MLA for East Antrim, slammed the continued disorder, calling it: “Shameful behaviour, there is no excuse. Rioters will face the consequences including criminal convictions.”
