VIDEOS: Riots erupted in peaceful town after alleged sexual assault by migrants, Orbán cabinet urges harsher rules
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Hungary’s Ministry for European Union Affairs called on Tuesday for an end to what it described as European laws that “protect migrants who commit criminal offences.” The statement comes in response to riots in the normally quiet Northern Irish town of Ballymena, where two Romanian teenage boys have been charged with the attempted rape of a local teenage girl. What began as a peaceful demonstration by local residents – including women, men and children – escalated into riots on Monday and continued into Tuesday, with masked individuals clashing with police.
Alleged sexual assault: Police avoid migrant reference
According to the local police, two teenage boys have been charged with the attempted rape of a teenage girl in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena. They appeared before Coleraine Magistrates’ Court on 9 June. The accused, speaking through an interpreter, confirmed their names and ages in Romanian and denied the charges. Following the hearing, a crowd of hundreds gathered for a peaceful march through the town centre.e.
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However, the situation escalated when a group of masked men broke away, reportedly vandalising property, setting vehicles on fire, clashing with police and intimidating foreign residents. According to the BBC, one particularly distressing incident involved a family with three young children reportedly barricading themselves in an attic to avoid the violence. “It is only by the grace of God, and by the actions of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the fire service last night, that we are not looking at something more serious,” said Alliance Assembly Member Sian Mulholland.
Here are some more videos:
🚨BREAKING: Massive disorder in Ballymena Northern Ireland last night, migrant houses have been set on fire and damaged following the rape of young girls at the weekend.
The fake news want you to believe it was two teenage boys that raped a young girl, no mention of Romanian… pic.twitter.com/Ek9jlXCsyY
— The Yorkshire Lass (@real_shirelass) June 10, 2025
Continued riots
Despite police appeals for calm, disturbances continued on Tuesday. Protesters reportedly threw projectiles at police, who responded with baton rounds, water cannons and riot control dogs. PSNI labelled the events as “racist thuggery, pure and simple.”