Major left-leaning newspapers reported that anti-immigrant groups in the Northern Ireland town of Ballymena celebrated as Romanian minorities began leaving the area.
In July, tensions escalated during a trial involving two 14-year-olds accused of sexually assaulting a girl in Ballymena. Over three nights, locals clashed with police, set fires, and targeted homes believed to be occupied by immigrants.
Now, a month after these events, some residents feel they’ve triumphed, saying the disturbances led to the departure of many Romanian and Bulgarian migrants from Antrim.
A witness described the situation to the Guardian, saying, “It’s them going home. Everyone was relieved… It was madness, but it had been building up for a while. The Romanians were, I suppose, a bit too much for some people. Now there’s peace.”
Another person expressed satisfaction with the fewer immigrants and noted that it was more comfortable for children playing outside.
When asked by the Guardian if the riots had been successful, she simply replied, “yes.” The newspaper commented that it appeared the mob received what they wanted.
Some interviewees criticized the underlying “racism” of the riots, mentioning that certain Filipino immigrants were unjustly targeted, while others, particularly Slovak immigrants, seemed to agree with the actions taken, attributing the chaos to the Romanians’ behavior. One said, “I’m glad they’re gone.”
Another individual mentioned that while they didn’t support violence, the area felt revitalized after the departure of certain immigrant groups.
Anti-immigrant tensions have flared up repeatedly, especially following tragic incidents like last summer’s death of three girls and injuries to ten at a children’s dance event in Southport.
After illegal immigration from Ethiopia, significant unrest occurred in the English town of Epping, as thousands of locals protested, demanding government action to protect children and address illegal immigration.
Further tensions arose when Essex police prioritized so-called anti-racism protests, leading to clashes with anti-immigrant demonstrators.
Meanwhile, recent reports indicated that immigrants housed in hotels are accused of committing over 700 crimes in the past three years, including serious offenses. The report suggested the real figures might be higher, noting only a small fraction of the hotels housing young male immigrants after they crossed the English Channel were accounted for.
