00:00Well, indeed, I've just seen one particular image that is quite alarming. One individual,
00:08I don't know if this was someone who had thrown a Molotov cocktail, but was, had caught fire
00:15basically. He was running away with the back of him briefly on fire. I think he managed
00:23to sort of pat it down. So an indication perhaps that it was some of the petrol from a Molotov
00:30cocktail that may well have spilt on him. So no more information than that, but just one
00:37of a number of disturbing images coming out of Ballymina tonight. Police from the police
00:44service of Northern Ireland, well used to, of course, managing public order situations
00:50in Northern Ireland over the years, but facing sustained attack this evening. They have
00:56responded to Molotov cocktails, bricks and other masonry being thrown at them by firing these
01:06baton rounds, effectively rubber bullets. It's not something that the police elsewhere in
01:12the UK really adopt as a tactic. It would have to get very significantly serious.
01:20For those officers in the rest of the UK, we don't normally see baton rounds being fired
01:26by police officers, nor do we see water cannons elsewhere in the UK. But you can see from those
01:33images there, the police service of Northern Ireland have deployed those water cannons that
01:40they find very effective. You know, they are, you know, a crude, but effective way of pushing
01:47back groups of rioters who will, of course, regroup and go up other side streets and the like. But
01:55there's a reason they have that tactic available to them, this water cannon, because they've seen
02:01many riots in Northern Ireland over the years. They're well used to it. But there's no doubt
02:07that the intensity of the disorder in Ballymena is significant tonight. And of course, there will be
02:15a real concern now, this being the second night of disorder, that there is a potential for further
02:23disorder either in Ballymena or elsewhere in Northern Ireland or even elsewhere in the UK. These
02:29things can sometimes take on a life of their own, as we've seen previously with the likes of Southport.
02:37But the PSNI urging people in that area tonight, Patrick, to stay away from Ballymena in this
02:45particular area, the same area that was stricken by disorder last night, to stay away from there
02:52under penalty, potentially of arrest. But I think for the moment, what the PSNI officers will be
03:00doing, it's a well-worn tactic, is just trying to contain the situation, just keep the crowds at bay.
03:08It's often quite difficult to get in and start an arrest phase when clearly they're coming under a
03:15hail of bricks, other masonry and Molotov cocktails.
Comments