Leisure Centre ‘being used as emergency accommodation for immigrants’ goes up in flames after being set on fire by masked yobs: Riot cops swarm streets as Northern Ireland enters its third night of unrest 

A leisure centre used as an emergency centre for families has been set on fire by hooded thugs during a third night of ‘racist’ violence in Northern Ireland. 

A large group of yobs have torched Larne Leisure Centre in County Antrim, which is believed to have taken in Romanian immigrants to shelter them from this week’s riots. 

PSNI officers have also returned to the streets of Ballymena for the third night in a row as up to 400 thugs gather to hurl fireworks, petrol bombs and missiles at police vehicles – two days after a peaceful vigil of 2,500 people descended into mayhem.

The riots have taken place after two 14-year-old boys – who both required a Romanian interpreter in court – were charged with the attempted oral rape of a teenage girl last weekend. 

A third person, aged 28, was arrested in connection to the investigation on Monday night. 

Distressing footage taken outside Larne Leisure Centre tonight shows a group of hooded thugs setting the building’s entrance alight. 

An Emergency Rest Centre (ERC) was opened there on Tuesday evening by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, following the riots in Ballymena which left a number of families in urgent need of temporary shelter.

The council confirmed the activation of the ERC was part of its emergency response protocols. 

Distressing footage taken outside Larne Leisure Centre tonight shows a group of hooded thugs torching the building, which is understood to have held Romanian immigrants

An Emergency Rest Centre was opened at the leisure centre on Tuesday evening by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, in response to the riots

Fire fighters at the scene where the blaze broke out at Larne Leisure Centre following vandalism at the facility

A person throws harmful objects at riot police vehicles in Ballymena this evening 

PSNI riot squad officers form a blockade on Harryville bridge in Ballymena tonight to stop potential rioters from accessing the Clonavon terrace area

A member of the crowd gestures towards the PSNI riot squad officers in Ballymena 

A spokesperson for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said: ‘In line with normal protocols and in collaboration with local agencies, Council received a request to open an Emergency Rest Centre at Larne Leisure Centre last night, to provide emergency shelter for families in urgent need following disturbances in Ballymena.

‘The families have all been safely relocated and are no longer availing of the facility.’

Tensions have risen in Ballymena again this evening as riot police warned force will be used if the crowd does not disperse. 

Around 400 people have gathered together to face a barrier of armoured police cars lined up to stop the group accessing residential houses. 

Fireworks and flares have been aimed at officers, while glass bottles and rocks were lobbed at PSNI lines by male and female rioters who cheered as they hit police vehicles. 

Petrol bombs have also been hurled at armoured Land Rovers, igniting a sudden fire and shouts of encouragement from the crowd. 

A water cannon is on site in response to tonight’s fires while police have set off one AEP baton round.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour yesterday, while a male was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct in Newtownabbey. 

Last night saw the worst scenes of mass wanton destruction yet that left more police officers injured, with cars set alight and properties smashed up.

One of his Senior Team, Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson, said earlier today that the PSNI have redirected a significant number of extra officers into areas affected by two days of violent disorder, the worst of which took place in Ballymena.

ACC Henderson labelled the violence over the past two nights as ‘racist thuggery targeted at ethnic minorities and police officers’. He added that all footage of incidents was being reviewed and prosecutions would come.

Meanwhile, Police Scotland has agreed to a request to send officers, after police in Northern Ireland requested extra support under mutual aid arrangements.

The deployment will involve an undisclosed number of public order officers trained to police civil unrest. The PSNI said they have requested 80 officers from other forces in mainland UK.

A man looks towards members of the PSNI riot squad stood next to their vehicles 

Police aim a water cannon at demonstrators as riots continue in Ballymena

Police clash with residents during a third evening of unrest in Ballymena, Northern Ireland 

A young female youth throws item at police vehicles on the third day of unrest in Ballymena 

A view of the damage after protesters threw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police during another night of disorder in Ballymena

Police are calling the riots ‘racist thuggery’ as riot officers clash with protesters 

A demonstrator sits down opposite a row of riot police vehicles in Ballymena 

A view of the damage after protesters threw petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks at police during another night of disorder in Ballymena

A man sits with  a drink opposite riot police vehicles on the third night of unrest in Ballymena 

ACC Henderson revealed: ‘We’re taking steps to increase available resources and are surging a significant number of extra officers, vehicles and equipment to those areas where the rioting is taking place.

‘This will have an impact on our communities. This will take away vital resources needed to police other areas. It will have an impact on our ability to serve communities.

‘It’s hugely important that people realise there are consequences for this.’

ACC Henderson said many people woke up this morning ‘feeling genuine fear for their lives and their livelihoods’.

He added: ‘This violence only serves to undermine the criminal investigation and cause further distress and turmoil to a young victim and her family.

‘This violence threatens to derail the very pursuit of justice it claims to challenge.’

Police said there have also been sporadic incidents of disorder in Carrickfergus, north Belfast and Newtownabbey, where one man was arrested.

More demonstrations have been organised across Northern Ireland tonight with fears they will bring with it the potential for more trouble breaking out.  

One man, 29, has been charged with riotous behaviour, disorderly behaviour, attempted criminal damage and resisting police after Monday’s violence.

The worst of the trouble has been taking place in Ballymena, mainly in the Clonavon Terrace area but also in nearby thoroughfares Larne Street and Queen Stree. Police officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bottles and fireworks lobbed in their direction.

ACC Henderson said: ‘There were people who were intent on violence right from the off, so that says to me that there was pre-planning involved from those who wanted to attack us.

A member of the crowd gestures towards the PSNI riot squad officers

A member of the crowd throws an object towards the PSNI riot squad officers

Violence broke out in Ballymena on Monday following a peaceful protest by the local community against an alleged sex attack

Residents look on as PSNI riot squad officers form a blockade on Harryville bridge to stop potential rioters from accessing the Clonavon terrace area

Coloured smoke billows as demonstrators gather in front of riot police vehicles in Ballymena 

Tensions have risen in Ballymena again this evening as riot police warned force will be used if the crowd does not disperse

Riot police block a road in Ballymena during a third night of violence in the area 

A resident walks past PSNI riot squad officers and a dog handler as police form a blockade in Ballymena 

PSNI riot squad officers form a blockade on Harryville bridge in Ballymena tonight to stop potential rioters from accessing the Clonavon terrace area

Crowds have gathered in Ballymena again tonight, with as many as 400 people standing together 

‘A number of other protests, attacks on homes and disorder took place in Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey.’

Authorised officers discharged a number of Attenuating Energy Projectiles (AEPs) – a police source told MailOnline it was at least 20 – and two water cannons were also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds.

Some homes in the trouble-torn epicentre of the Harryville estate have begun displaying stickers outlining the residents’ nationalities such as ‘Filipino lives here’ alongside Union Jack stickers and flags.

Businesses and houses were attacked and damaged and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area. Even some homes with Union Jack flags on display fell victim to broken windows leaving local residents caught in the crossfire as a baying mob targeted properties were they believed non-nationals and migrants were living.

At a press conference earlier today, police said it was ‘not clear’ if paramilitaries are coordinating rioting in Ballymena. The Harryville estate would be considered a loyalist area.

ACC Henderson added: ‘At this point it’s not clear to us or through intelligence or what we’re hearing if there’s paramilitary coordination to it.’

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn is planning to visit Ballymena, it has been announced.

Lady Anderson, speaking in the House of Lords today, said the Cabinet minister was having ‘active conversations’ with both the Stormont administration and the PSNI.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he ‘utterly condemns’ the violence and called them ‘mindless attacks’.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said what was happening in Ballymena was ‘pure racism, there’s no other way to dress it up’, while the Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said the violence was ‘serving no purpose whatsoever’ and was only damaging communities.