By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-06-11 07:26:06 | Updated at 2026-06-12 06:34:40
23 hours ago
Twelve police officers were injured and 16 arrests took place last night as a second day of unrest unfolded in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn confirmed the incidents this morning, after riots and protests have ripped across the region following the attempted murder of NHS radiographer Stephen Ogilvie by Sudanese migrant Hadi Alodid, 30.
Footage from the riots show the police were pelted with bricks and petrol bombs with masked rioters in County Antrim on Wednesday night.
A Government vehicle was torched as rioters and police clashed in Newtonabbey in the north west of Belfast.
Men dressed in black with their faces covered were seen knocking bricks away from properties and smashing up paving stones to use as makeshift projectiles to throw at the police.
Public transport was suspended and some schools shut early last night amid fears violence would continue into a second night.
The violence has resulted in 12 police being injured, however, Mr Benn did not reveal the extent of the harm caused.
With the 16 arrests, it is still unknown what the arrests were for.
The police used water cannons on rioters last night in Belfast in order to tame the unrest
PA
The Northern Ireland Secretary condemned the "racist thuggery" which has been taking place amid the rioting.
He said, speaking to Sky: "Well, if you are targeting people on the basis of the colour of their skin how else can you describe them? That is racist thuggery, there’s no question about it at all."
Mr Benn also said there has been people stopped in their cars being asked what their nationality is, describing it as "completely unacceptable".
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