Six arrested amid Northern Ireland unrest, police say

Reuters

Two nights of violent riots in Ballymena have left 32 police officers injured and several homes and vehicles destroyed, following protests over an alleged assault involving two teenage boys.

Police in Northern Ireland reported that six individuals were arrested for public order offenses following two nights of violent unrest in Ballymena. One person has been formally charged. The clashes began after a protest over the alleged assault of a teenage girl.

On Tuesday night, for the second night in a row, masked rioters set fire to homes and vehicles and clashed with police. Seventeen officers were injured that night alone, raising the total number of injured officers to 32 since Monday.

Earlier that day, two 14-year-old boys appeared in court accused of assaulting a teenage girl. The charges were read to them with the help of a Romanian interpreter. Both teens denied the charges and were remanded in custody until July 2.

Police are also investigating a series of arson attacks on Monday in which four homes were damaged. Authorities are treating the incidents as racially motivated hate crimes.

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