The blunt truth behind Ballymena’s explosion of hate

Northern Ireland faces stark questions over the racism, xenophobia, and intolerance that has forced families from abroad to flee

- Rory Carroll

First came the shouts as the crowd worked its way through narrow terraced streets, proclaiming its mission to rid the town of “scum”. Then came the shattered glass as rocks exploded through windows. Then the flames, licking up curtains and spreading to sofas, carpets and books until smoke billowed into the night.

They might have been scenes from another century, another country, but they played out in Northern Ireland last week in the glare of rolling news and social media, which recorded a soundtrack of glee and hate. “Where are the foreigners?” the mob shouted.

The targets were families that were different - different nationality, different ethnicity, different skin tone, different language. The goal was expulsion - or immolation. “There’s someone in that room inside,” said a voice caught on video. “Aye, but are they local?” responded a comrade. “If they’re local, they need out. If they’re not local, let them stay there.”

No one died in Ballymena, the County Antrim town that erupted last Monday and flared for the rest of the week, or in other towns with smaller, copycat mayhem, but families fled, dozens of police were injured and Northern Ireland faced questions about racism, xenophobia and intolerance.

Three decades ago, the Good Friday agreement drew a line under the Troubles. Republican paramilitaries that wanted a united Ireland, and loyalist paramilitaries that wanted the region to remain in the UK, wound down the killing. Peace brought the novelty of immigration and diversity. In the 2001 census just 14,300 people, or 0.8% of the overall population, belonged to a minority ethnic group. By 2021 it was 65,600 people, or 3.4%. Compared with England (18%), or Scotland (11%), Northern Ireland remains very white.