Ballymena

[Ablondiebutagoody]

AIBU to think that this kind of unrest/attack is happening more frequently now? Or did I just not notice before?

NBU - Yes, it's more frequent
ABU - You didn't notice before

I 💯 condemn our own. I also don't believe that all or a majority of immigrants are sexual predators. I said a minority have been involved in sexual assaults, but even the minor increase has messed up lives.

I wonder also how Quham Babatunde RIP was registered in Ipas, had finger prints registered, received payment, yet was deported from Italy 2 years earlier over a rape case.

This thread is derailing into a racist, immigrant bashing thread.
What is happening in Ballymena and other areas is disgusting. It needs to bd discussed on its own without attempts to distort and distract. Innocent, hardworking families, mainly people of colour and immigrants, are being burnt and intimidated out of their homes. These are the people who give care to loved ones in nursing homes, do the night shifts locals won't do, clean the stores and offices that locals won't do, and so on. What is happening to them is wrong and should be the focus.
There is a list circulating giving the times and areas of protests and is being clearly organised. Political leadership is failing yet again and some are openly encouraging attacks as has been seen with Gordon Lyons, Jim Allister and others. Jim Allister and others who eulogised Davey Tweed, the child abuser when he died. Remember the former leader of DUP Jeffrey Donaldson is facing serious allegations of child abuse. Three former councillors in Ballymena area alone have been convicted of sexual offences. Yet no mass protests. One of those ex councillors is active as a 'community worker' and welcome in his own area.

@ColadhSamh

This thread is derailing into a racist, immigrant bashing thread.

I'm afraid that's par for the course on MN. I wouldn't bother trying to rationalise with people who think anyone foreign is a sex offender and burning people alive happens when you don't listen to people.

What recent upsurge of sexual assaults? Can you back up any of your claims?

Increase in Reported Sexual Offenses:
The number of recorded sexual offenses in Ireland increased by 286 in 2024 compared to the previous year. #CSO.
Violent crime in Ireland has doubled in 10 years according to #CSO figures. Theft in #Dublin has increased 19% in just 1 year.
2024 figures.

Anyway back to Ballymena, the police should go in hard with tear gas and batons. The army from both sides should support this.

I avoided saying this earlier because it will fall on deaf ears. People know what they know, and facts are merely inconvenient. It is "true" that there is an "upsurge" in sexual assaults in Northern Ireland. There is also a massive "upsurge" of cases of domestic violence. The same is true of the ROI, England and Scotland. This is a very good thing. Because it says that people are now reporting attacks. The reason that sexual assualts were "lower" in the past is because people were not reporting them. Victim blaming, fear, embarassment, shame, not being believed.... anyone in their right mind can rattle off dozens of reasons why assualts were not reported. In NI and ROI the reasons get even more complex. Anyone in their right mind also knows that the statistics are going up because we are finally shining a light on VAWG and despite there being a long way to go, there is increased confidence in reporting, often thanks to brave women and girls who refuse to hide behind anonymity and refuse to be ashamed.

It's a much more convenient truth to blame the "newcomers" for what is wrong, because it absolves others of the fact that they sat back and colluded with the status quo that left women and girls (mainly, but not exclusively) vulnerable. People knew. They have always known. They chose not to care.

My cousin Hilda (actually my mothers cousin), much older than me and long dead, was born to an "unmarried mother" aged 15 years. Her mother left school at 14 and was "lucky enough" to land a job at the Rectory. The village had a few hundred residents back then and everyone knew... It wasn't even the first time.

Another night of protests and expected violence. From 6pm.

A third night in a row I will be potentially blocked from driving down the road to my house by hard men in bavaclavas, who quote they're doing all this for women and children, yet scaring and intimidating women and children in their area.

For the ordinary working people (who are the majority), we do not want this.

We're under a weather warning for thunder and rain. I hope it hits Ballymena soon.🤞

I've been thinking about all those people putting signs and flags outside their houses. They must be terrified. Let's hope it pours and brings this to an end.

It’s awful. Protection indeed. I hope you stay safe.

Anyway back to Ballymena, the police should go in hard with tear gas and batons. The army from both sides should support this.

No, this should be handled as sensitively and non violently as possible. De-escaliting and getting intel on the loyalist paramilitaries behind it. But I'm not holding my breath that the terrorists and organised crime gangs people responsible will face justice. But we're into damage limitation at this point.

I just wish someone had told the Minister for Communities.

Why do you think we need the army @EmeraldShamrock000?

Ellie that is bad and absolutely nothing excuses such intimidation. Hoping it rains which tends to keep people at home more.

What do you mean by the army from both sides? Not that I think sending in any army is the way to go.

Ballymena has always been an extremely touchy place.

Very tribal. Very 'Them and Us'. Extremely patriarchal culture.

I thought that the army might be able to contain it. The PSNI have requested help from the Police across the water, someone is going to die if this continues.
The soldiers might be able to set a curfew and patrol the streets.
It might make it worse.. I can't see it stopping without force.

I don’t think sending the Irish army into Ballymena would be helpful at all @EmeraldShamrock000

Our rate of deaths of females at the hands of men is even higher

30 women murdered by men since 2019

30 - in a population of less then 2 million

Yet not one riot at their deaths

No way can we get the Army in, not to say there arent calls for them, but NI would totally erupt

There are calls for another protest organised in Portadown Armagh for tonight.
Housing executive has advised people to leave.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/articles/c626ynlwkz0o.amp

Indeed she effing was in the eyes of the media! B**RDS

Honestly I the hypocrisy from those men makes me ill

“a failed social experiment”.

I was born in Northern Ireland, all my family live here, this is my home and that of my children and I’m proud to be from here. So you can take your “failed social experiment” and fuck off.

Every year in NI people are driven out of their homes and their lives threatened. Because of paramilitary thuggery. That's nothing new for us.

The answer is not the Army. Last time we tried that they ended up here for the best part of 30 years and 1000s of people died.

The answer is not less immigration. It was happening decades before they arrived. It's happening to NI born and bred white people today.

We have enough shit on our doorsteps without having racists / xenophobes from the UK and Ireland excusing these scumbags or trying to justify this paramilitary/organised crime based exploitation and violence.

Hope the rain is pure pishing down on the areas effected tonight.🙏

Where on earth did this happen?

https://m.sundayworld.com/crime/courts/security-guard-stood-behind-woman-on-packed-luas-and-soiled-her-dress-with-his-semen/a144143091.html

I know this a male problem. Irish men included.