Man trapped inside NI leisure centre tells of fear as rioters attacked

A man who was inside a leisure centre in County Antrim as it was attacked on Wednesday night has spoken of the fear felt by customers and staff.

Northern Ireland Assembly Member Danny Donnelly said Larne Leisure Centre was being used by families and children for swimming and classes when it was targeted by about 100 youths and set on fire.

The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families fleeing violence in nearby Ballymena.

It was the third night of disorder in Northern Ireland this week, but on Wednesday night the unrest spread to other towns like Larne.

Donnelly said a brick was thrown through a window of the leisure centre in Larne where a yoga class was being held and members had to flee for safety.

"Thankfully, nobody was hurt but as you can imagine there was glass everywhere and the women had to get up and leave," he said.

Donnelly said it quickly became violent and the windows of the leisure centre were "systematically being put in".

He added that paint was thrown over fire doors and described it as a "sustained attack" on the building.

"They were already throwing bricks at the police as well," he said.

He said staff had to flee through the back door for their own safety.

Donnelly told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme that people and children became "fearful" and staff helped customers "to leave via the side doors and get to their cars safely".

"It became more and more sinister, and it became more and more obvious that there was a malicious intent. You don't come to a peaceful protest with a mask and bricks."

BBC News NI's crime and justice correspondent Julian O'Neill said the youths had "attacked police who were there to police a notified protest which had been circulating on social media".

"The police presence was described as 'unprotected'. I take it that they were not dressed in riot gear, they weren't fully prepared for trouble," he said.

"And while they were awaiting police back-up, while under attack, the leisure centre was broken into and set alight and staff, I'm told, had to escape out the back."

He said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has record low numbers and is "stretched financially".

Policing the situation could cost in the region of £3m, putting additional strain on an under pressure force, he said.

The PSNI are preparing for further violence and have requested 80 support officers from Great Britain police forces, including Police Scotland.

The PSNI said more officers were injured and six further arrests were made during the third consecutive night of disorder.

Ballymena

Officers were attacked with petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks, fireworks and a hatchet.

Nine officers were injured but remained on duty.

Two men aged in their 20s and one in their 30s, along with two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and other offences.

A number of baton rounds were discharged and water cannon was deployed.

Newtownabbey

A teenager was arrested in connection with disorder in the Station Road area.

Coleraine

A bus was attacked and was prevented from entering the station.

Bins were set alight on the train tracks at the station and petrol bombs were thrown at officers, resulting in train and bus services being cancelled.

The police are investigating a fire at nearby business premises and a subsequent report that a number of young people broke into a tyre business and added tyres to fire.

Carrickfergus, Antrim, Lisburn and Belfast

Masked protesters blocked roads on the Marine Highway area in Carrickfergus.

Protests passed without incident in the Antrim and Lisburn areas.

A number of protests also took place across Belfast, and police described them as "mainly peaceful".

Donnelly was among a number of elected representatives criticising a Stormont minister over a social media post about the location of migrant families who left their homes hours before the centre was attacked.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said that people caught up in clashes in Ballymena were being temporarily moved to Larne Leisure Centre.

Sinn Féin Finance Minister John O'Dowd claimed Lyons "failed to show leadership".

Donnelly said: "I thought it was incredibly reckless and dangerous to highlight the location of where these people were being kept and brought to a place of safety."

"If I was the minister, I would certainly be considering my position," he added.

Lyons has defended his comments saying the information was in the public domain, and had been confirmed by the local council.