Ballymena, an overwhelmingly working-class and Protestant town, lies 25 miles north of Belfast. Recently, it found itself with a week of protests over police brutality that escalated into rioting and mayhem. That chaos began on Monday and lasted all week. It garnered national attention, bringing a very public focus to an outbreak of racism, xenophobia, and intolerance in the community. While there were no reported deaths, these violent confrontations led families to have to evacuate their residences. More than 60 police officers were injured during the mayhem.
The societal backdrop of Ballymena has played a crucial role in this recent turmoil. With some of the lowest educational attainment rates in the UK and the highest percentage of economically inactive individuals, many residents grapple with economic hardship. At the same time, as noted as recently as the 2021 census, Ballymena’s population is 4.9% non-white. This small demographic underrepresentation is evident, but an influential national narrative has gained traction. It scapegoats its non-white residents as “scrounging refugees,” accusing them of invading and destroying her now ruined and impoverished community.
Ballymena’s troubling legacy is deep-rooted. During the height of sectarian violence in the 1990s and mid-2000s, Protestants even sabotaged Catholic schools and churches around the city. The town’s dark history replicates the larger lenses set by the Northern Ireland civil unrest. This war broke out in earnest in 1969 when Protestant loyalist rioters in Belfast ethnically cleansed Catholics from their houses. Similar episodes of racial violence have marred Ballymena’s recent history.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when a PSNI vehicle drove into an area of debris set on fire. A man rides his bike next to a burnt, flipped car. Damage at Larne leisure centre was reported on the third night of unrest. Online, clips started to circulate on social media, with videos of rioters illegally livestreaming their insurrection. They barked for likes, follows, and gifts from their viewers while burning their community down.
The anti-immigrant unrest serves as a continual reminder of growing fears among Tulsa residents over immigration and migrant activity. A group from Portadown recently called for a march on a local hostel, declaring, “it’s time to take a stand and stop welcoming these illegal migrant gangs.” Akin to the feelings of many local Ballymena residents, the situation was not acceptable. They have warned that a massive new wave of immigrants has brought increased crime and social decrepitude.
“It’s time to take a stand and stop welcoming these illegal migrant gangs flocking into our town, paedophiles, drug pushers, human traffickers, prostitutes,” – a group in Portadown.
These considerations are tempered by what local voices have said since—concerns and praise from both sides of the issues being debated. One resident in his 50s expressed skepticism about government narratives, stating, “What we’re reading is completely different from what the government is telling us.” Meanwhile, another woman in her 30s echoed sentiments of frustration: “We want our voices to be heard. If this is the only way, so be it.”
Worrying trends of educational segregation add a layer of complexity. Rebecca Loader, an educator, noted that “you have schools that have no diversity and schools with high levels, perhaps just separated by a few miles.” She reiterated that these separations shut out opportunities. They isolate people from each other and learning across cultural lines to create empathy and understanding.
The deadly outbreak of violence and its aftermath have had devastating impacts on families within the community. Last summer, no fewer than eight African families needed to flee an estate just outside Antrim town. They left because recession began to set in and conditions soured. Together, these incidents exemplify an upsetting trend in which immigrant families are met with hostility after looking for safety.
“There’s someone in that room inside,” – a voice caught on video during the unrest.
Although Ballymena has its challenges, the local fixers are determined to address these problems at their core. They decide to face these issues with empathy rather than hate or rage. Malachi O’Doherty remarked on the fundamental racism present in certain areas of Ballymena, noting that these communities possess “a proud sense of social and cultural cohesion” that can sometimes breed exclusionary attitudes.
The riots in Ballymena are a note to all socialists about the consequences of economic attacks exacerbating communal strife. These tensions are quick to spark harmful, divisive narratives and backlash. As Northern Ireland grapples with its complex history and contemporary challenges related to immigration and race relations, the question remains: how can communities like Ballymena foster unity and understanding rather than division?