Migrants hid in wardrobes to flee N Ireland unrest: police

BALLYMENA, United Kingdom: Foreign nationals hid in wardrobes and attics to escape a wave of unrest which has rocked a Northern Ireland town, police said on Thursday, calling for the protests to end and warning rioters they would face arrest.

“Stop this violence,” said Northern Ireland police chief Jon Boutcher. “We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully.” He was speaking after three nights of unrest in the town of Ballymena, some 48-kms northwest of Belfast.

The clashes erupted on Monday night after two teenagers were arrested for the alleged attempted rape of a young girl at the weekend. Police have not confirmed the ethnicity of the teenagers, who remain in custody and had asked for a Romanian interpreter in court.

After another barrage of petrol bombs, bricks and bottles, the crowds eventually dispersed late Wednesday without a repeat of the chaotic scenes seen on Monday and Tuesday when houses and businesses in areas where Romanian families live were torched. A total of 13 people have now been arrested, and 41 police officers injured, though most of the injuries are not severe.