Overview

• Court hearings for two 14-year-old Romanian boys accused of sexual harassment in Ballymena ignited the unrest on June 9
• Masked rioters erected barricades and used bottles, bricks and Molotov cocktails to vandalise homes, vehicles and a sports centre as violence spread to Larne, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey
• The Police Service of Northern Ireland deployed dog units, water cannons and reinforcements, reporting 32 officers injured and at least five arrests by Wednesday
• Far-right activists and influencers fuelled the disorder online by amplifying false claims linking the harassment allegations to uncontrolled immigration
• Political leaders across Northern Ireland condemned the attacks, with Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly visiting Ballymena to call for calm and respect for due legal process