A significant number of additional police officers have been deployed in areas of Northern Ireland affected by three days of unrest, which resulted in injuries, arrests, and burning of cars and buildings, BNR reported.
During the violence, which hit the town of Ballymena the hardest, 32 police officers were injured and six people were arrested. The riots began on Monday after a peaceful protest in Ballymena in support of the family of a girl who was allegedly raped by two teenagers, believed to be of Romanian origin.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the violence was “racist hooliganism targeting ethnic minorities and police“.
The riots also spread to other parts of Northern Ireland. The latest incident was last night when a leisure centre in Larne was attacked and bins outside it were set on fire.
The police initially backed down when masked youths began throwing objects at officers and their cars, but officers in riot gear later returned to the scene, along with the fire brigade.
It is believed that the centre was temporarily housing some people following the riots in Ballymena and the attacks on migrant homes.
There is an extremely heavy police presence in Ballymena, with crowds warned to disperse or face force.
Police Scotland has agreed to send officers to Northern Ireland under mutual assistance agreements.