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LAST UPDATE | 15 Jun
POLICE IN NORTHERN Ireland are working “night and day” to catch those involved in rioting in Northern Ireland, a senior officer has said.
The PSNI has welcomed a reduction in disorder last night following several days of sustained rioting and attacks on officers.
There have now been 24 arrests in connection with the riots and 14 individuals have been charged to court.
Police said there were “sporadic disturbances” last night, including an incident of attempted criminal damage to a vehicle in Carrickfergus.
A 40-year-old man has been charged over the incident and will appear in court next month,
Following a report of a group of people throwing bottles at addresses in Lurgan, two boys, aged 14 and 12, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage before being street bailed.
Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said: “Our heightened presence in our local communities and continued community engagement to de-escalate violence continued last night, but thankfully, the situation was much calmer than we have seen in recent days.
“I issued a public plea to parent/guardians and families of young people who have been driving the criminal activity in some areas to warn them of the serious consequences of their actions.
“I am asking for continued conversations amongst local families to deter young people from criminalising themselves.”
Meanwhile, a man was arrested by detectives investigating online posts relating to the public disorder.
The PSNI said the 32-year-old man was arrested in the Larne area.
He is being held on suspicion of encouraging or assisting offences, and possession of a class B controlled drug.
Officers seized a number of items, including electronic devices and a small quantity of a class B controlled drug, during a search of a house in Larne.
Anti-immigrant rioting spread across Northern Ireland this week.
The violence was sparked on Monday after a peaceful protest over the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in Ballymena.
The PSNI say that on the evening of Saturday 7 June, a teenage girl was allegedly violently sexually assaulted at Clonavon Terrace in Ballymena, a narrow row of houses that is situated a short distance from the Braid River.
The assault is alleged to have occurred some time between 7.30pm and 10.30pm, around the time that a parade comprising dozens of Loyalist pipe bands was marching through the predominantly Protestant town.
Two 14-year-old boys were arrested the following day and appeared in court on Monday 8 June, charged with attempted oral rape. The BBC reports that they spoke in court via a Romanian interpreter and that they deny the charges.
Some 64 police officers have been injured during the rioting, which saw petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks directed at the PSNI.
Jones said: “Our public order inquiry team are working day and night to identify those who have been involved in the disorder over the last number of days.
“Our Chief Constable and other members of the senior team have been meeting with local community representatives of those affected over the weekend so we can support them as best we can and offer reassurance of our policing operation to restore calm.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets. So, just as we will seek justice for women and girls who report heinous crimes to us, we will also seek justice for local innocent families who are being targeted by criminality fuelled by hate.”
The SDLP has said that it will call on the Executive – NI’s Cabinet – for a clear and coordinated response to the riots throughout the last week.
It said it would be asking for greater resources for PSNI, enhances hate crime legislation, and timelines for publication of refugee and integration and racial equality strategies – “as well as asking the police and monitoring bodies to confirm clearly what involvement loyalist paramilitaries have had in the violence”.
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