Ballymena Somme memorial vandalised for second time in three nights
- Love Ballymena
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
The scene of the vandalism, which police are treating as a hate crime, at a community memorial in the Harryville area of Ballymena
A Ballymena memorial to local men who died at the Battle of the Somme has been vandalised for the second time in three nights — just hours after its flags were replaced following the first attack.
Independent Ballymena Councillor Rodney Quigley confirmed on Monday morning, 10 August, that the Queen Street memorial in Harryville had again been targeted, with the flags once more stolen.
The latest attack follows vandalism overnight on Friday into Saturday, when the memorial’s flagpole was torn down and two Somme memorial flags stolen. Police subsequently confirmed they were treating that incident as a hate crime.
Councillor Quigley said the flags had been replaced on Saturday, only for those responsible to return and target the memorial again.
‘Second time in three nights’
He said:
“After replacing the Memorial flags on Saturday, we wake again this morning to discover that the Queen Street Memorial to those from the street who died at the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 has been vandalised for the second time in three nights, with the flags once again stolen.
“Whoever carried out these two attacks are nothing but the scum of the earth and have nothing positive to offer today’s society.
“This is not usually the kind of language I use on social media, but after these two attacks, I can find no other words to describe the individuals responsible.
“Rest assured, the pole will be fixed and the flags replaced, just as they were on Saturday.”
The repeated vandalism has also been strongly condemned by Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows, who described the attacks as “despicable and deeply disrespectful”.
Volunteers had worked to improve memorial
The scene of the vandalism, which police are treating as a hate crime, at a community memorial in the Harryville area of Ballymena
The attacks come after volunteers from Harryville and Clonavon Recovery & Regenerate spent recent weeks cleaning, tidying and improving the area around the memorial and its commemorative bench.
The memorial itself was first erected by the local community around 15 years ago in remembrance of men from Queen Street who died on 1 July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme.
It originally stood beside the former pipe yard wall but was removed when construction began on the Home Bargains store site.
The memorial was reinstated in June this year around 20 yards further along Queen Street, while a memorial summer seat was also added earlier this year.
Mr Burrows said:
“I am absolutely disgusted to learn that this memorial has been attacked and damaged for a second night over the course of this
“This is not simply an act of mindless vandalism. It is an attack on a place of remembrance dedicated to those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War.
“This memorial provides a quiet place where people can sit, rest and reflect. More importantly, it serves as a lasting reminder of the men and women who gave their all in service and sacrifice. Whatever motivates someone to deliberately target such a place, there can be absolutely no excuse for it.”
‘Local volunteers have spent weeks giving their own time’
Mr Burrows said the damage was particularly upsetting given the work carried out by volunteers to improve the area.
He continued:
“What makes this even more sickening is the fact that local volunteers have spent weeks giving their own time and effort to clean and improve this area. The volunteers from Harryville and Clonavon Recovery & Regenerate should be thanked for the pride they have shown in their community. Instead, they are now having to witness their hard work being deliberately destroyed.
“To attack this memorial once was disgraceful. To return and target it for a second night shows a level of contempt for our community, for the volunteers who care for this area and, above all, for the memory of those commemorated here.
“Those responsible should be under no illusion about the strength of feeling within the local community. People are rightly angry and they want to see those behind these attacks identified and held accountable.”
Burrows to raise attacks with police
Mr Burrows said he intends to speak directly with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Monday about its investigation into the incidents.
“I will be speaking with the Police Service of Northern Ireland later today. I want to be assured that the investigation into these incidents will be relentless and that every reasonable effort will be made to identify those responsible and bring them to justice,” he said.
“If anyone witnessed suspicious activity in the Queen Street area, or has CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage which may assist the police investigation, I would strongly encourage them to come forward.
“We will not allow the actions of a small number of individuals to diminish the significance of this memorial or the respect that the overwhelming majority of people in Ballymena have for those who served and sacrificed.”
Following the first attack, the PSNI confirmed it received a report of criminal damage in the Queen Street area shortly before 7.25am on Saturday, 8 August, along with a report that a number of flags had been stolen, which they are treating as a hate crime.
Police said at the time:
“Enquiries are being conducted to establish the circumstances of the incident, which is being treated as a hate crime at this time.”
Anyone with information about the first incident was asked to contact police using the witness appeal form at:
The reference is 334 of 08/08/26. Information can also be provided by calling police on 101.
Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at:
Mr Burrows said the repeated attacks would not undermine what the Queen Street memorial represents.
He concluded:
“Those responsible may have damaged a memorial, but they will not destroy what it represents. The sacrifice of those we remember deserves dignity and respect, and I know the people of Ballymena will stand firmly behind those who have worked so hard to care for this important place of remembrance.”
Despite being targeted twice in three nights, Councillor Quigley has made clear that the memorial will again be repaired and its flags replaced — ensuring the acts of vandalism will not remove the tribute from Queen Street.
Descendants of fallen soldiers express ‘hurt and anger’
Ulster Unionist Party Braid Councillor Alan Barr has also condemned the second attack, revealing that descendants of men killed in action have contacted him in recent days to express their hurt and anger.
Councillor Barr said:
“Once again, I am disgusted to learn that the War Memorial in Harryville has been desecrated by mindless vandals. This is the second attack in just three days.
“There can be no justification for desecrating a memorial to those who gave their lives. It is an act of disrespect not only to the fallen, but to their families and descendants and to the wider community.
“Over the past couple of days, descendants of men who were killed in action have contacted me to express their hurt and anger at what has happened.”
Councillor Barr also pointed to the shared sacrifice of soldiers from different traditions during the First World War.
He said:
“On 1st July, I stood alongside Councillors Armstrong, Skinner and Quigley at the Guillemont Memorial to the 16th (Irish) Division, with representatives of the Irish Defence Forces also present.
“That memorial stands as a powerful reminder that war did not discriminate on the basis of religion or political belief. Men from different backgrounds served, fought and died together. Their sacrifice belongs to all of us.
“I hope the PSNI identifies those responsible and that they are held properly accountable for their actions. I will be pressing the PSNI to treat this as a hate crime.
“Those who desecrate war memorials should be ashamed of themselves. We will remember the fallen. We will not allow their sacrifice to be forgotten or their memorials to be treated with contempt.”
