Ballymena’s Filipino community reaffirms belonging amid recent tensions

Members of Ballymena’s Filipino community have spoken out following recent events in the town, sharing their deep connection to the place they’ve called home for more than two decades, and expressing concern about how recent unrest has affected families.

In a statement released today, Thursday 12 June, the Ballymena Filipino Community Officers said they wanted to speak not just for themselves, but for the wider community that has quietly become part of the town’s fabric over the last 25 years.

“We, the Ballymena Filipino Community Officers, are proud residents of Ballymena for nearly 25 years. We sincerely appreciate all your time in reading this statement on behalf of our community.”

The statement opens with a reminder of just how deeply rooted the Filipino community is in the town. Many work locally, raise families, attend churches, and send their children to Ballymena schools. Over the years, they say, the town has come to feel like home.

“We work hard, contribute to the economy, pay our taxes, and raise our children in this town. Our children attend local schools, we worship in local churches, and we have built friendships within both local and migrant communities.

“Ballymena has been a welcoming home for many years. Personally, we have come to see our local friends here as family, especially being so far from our own.”

The home of one local Filipino family in Ballymena

But while the tone of the message is filled with warmth and gratitude, it also reflects a sense of unease and sadness. The community voiced their support for the victim of a recent sexual assault case in Ballymena and thanked the police for how it’s been handled so far.

“We are deeply saddened by what happened and stand firmly in support of the victim,” they said. “We are also extremely grateful to the police for the way the case has been handled so far, and we continue to place our trust in the justice system to bring accountability and justice.”

In the wake of that incident, however, tensions have risen in parts of the town. The Filipino community say that some of their neighbours have experienced fear, disruption and even damage to their homes and cars. In some cases, families with young children have felt unsafe or been forced to temporarily leave their homes.

“Our family, friends, and many in the Filipino community are experiencing deep distress and fear. Numerous Filipino families residing in areas such as Clonavon and Harryville have been directly impacted—some forced to evacuate their homes, with properties and vehicles targeted, including the burning of cars. These families include young children, some as young as two years old.”

With nightly protests and unrest continuing in some areas, many migrants say they now feel on edge. Just going to the shop or walking through town no longer feels the same.

“Many of us no longer feel safe stepping outside. When we do, we feel eyes on us—whether in judgment or sympathy, we cannot always tell.”

News of the situation has even reached their relatives back in the Philippines, with local and international media reporting on the unrest.

“This heightened fear has reached our families back home in the Philippines, where the situation is being widely reported in local and international news and social media.”

Still, the community wants to emphasise that their experience of Ballymena over the years has been overwhelmingly positive. They remain proud to live here and hopeful that the town can return to a place of calm and mutual respect.

“It is heartbreaking to now say that the town we have long considered safe feels frightening and hostile. A small number of individuals have chosen to act out in violence, and it feels as though we are being targeted purely because of our ethnicity or nationality.”

Their message closes with hope — that a town they love can once again feel safe for all who call it home.