MEA Council secures Executive Office funding to aid community recovery after Ballymena and Larne unrest

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has secured funding from The Executive Office to support community relations initiatives following recent public disorder in Ballymena and Larne.

According to the council’s funding application, “civil unrest and public disorder occurred in the Ballymena and Larne areas following a peaceful protest which was arranged after an alleged attack on a young girl by members of a minority community. The protest focused on the message of ‘Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.’

“However, the public disorder that occurred after the peaceful protest lasted a number of days and was largely targeted at minority communities within a particular area of Ballymena.”

During the disturbances, Larne Leisure Centre on Tower Road was set alight while people were still inside the building on Wednesday, 11 June.

A report presented to the borough council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee stated that “the incident in Larne was in response to the use of the leisure centre as an emergency support centre for families displaced from Ballymena.”

The report added that the PSNI in Mid and East Antrim reported a policing cost of around £5 million as a result of the disorder. It stated that 63 police officers were injured, three police vehicles were damaged, and that water cannon and AEP rounds were deployed.

“The disorder has had a negative impact on the community’s relationship with the PSNI and statutory agencies in general,” the report continued. “It has also caused fear within the wider ethnic minority community.”

Councillors have previously been told that the financial impact of the arson attack on Larne Leisure Centre “will only become clear once all claim processes have been exhausted.”

They were also informed that the Romanian Embassy contacted the borough council following the riots.

The Executive Office subsequently sought proposals from all councils in Northern Ireland to develop programmes and interventions “to address social and racial cohesion following the recent disorder.”

The report said:

“Council is very mindful of the need to support community and civic recovery within the borough following recent civil unrest. It is proposed that this resource will be used to build on existing work locally in the community using established initiatives and interventions. The purpose will be to increase the level of intervention and engagement with local communities in the affected areas.”

In its application, the council added:

“In the short term, we propose to build on existing work through established networks to increase the level of intervention and engagement with local communities in the affected areas.”

A wider recovery plan is being developed at corporate level, with the expectation that a diversionary programme for young people will be introduced in partnership with community and youth groups who “understand the complex nature of the issues that have contributed to the tensions within the community and the recent social disorder.”

Mid and East Antrim PSNI Chief Inspector Bradley commented:

“Everyone deserves to feel safe on our streets. We are seeking to deliver justice to those responsible for these targeted attacks that followed a series of protests within the Ballymena area.

“In the months since the sustained disorder, our dedicated public order inquiry team has worked tirelessly to ensure that those involved in this violence are brought before our courts to face the consequences of their actions.

“We would also repeat our appeal to anyone who has been the victim of, or has any information on, any crime to contact police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. We can assure you that we will always act on concerns and information we receive.”