POLICE have arrested over 30 individuals in relation to recent unrest in several areas in Northern Ireland.
23 people, including a 13-year-old girl and her mother, are now facing charges linked to the violent incidents that occurred last week.
The unrest began in Ballymena last Monday, following reports of a sexual assault involving a young girl the previous weekend.
Police have confirmed that two teenage boys have been charged with attempted rape. The pair, who required a Romanian interpreter during a court hearing, have denied the charges.
What began as a peaceful vigil over the alleged assault later escalated, leading to attacks on police and properties associated with ethnic minority communities.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson, speaking today, said: “Recent days have been calmer. However, this does not mean our investigations into those responsible for the racially motivated attacks will lose momentum.”
He then went on to add, “We are continuing to review our evidence gathered over the days of disorder and are robustly investigating the disorder. We will be making more arrests and delivering justice to those responsible for these racially motivated attacks and associated posts on social media.”