The scenes we have witnessed in Ballymena, Larne and Portadown this week are utterly disgraceful. There is no excuse, no justification, and no moral cover for such wanton thuggery and destruction. Violence is never the answer. I commend the PSNI, statutory agencies, and community organisations who have worked tirelessly to protect people, restore law and order, and support all those affected.
Northern Ireland is renowned across the world for its warmth of hospitality. Yet this week, a small and reckless minority have cast a dark shadow over that reputation. In just over a month, the world will descend a little bit further up the A26 from Ballymena for The Open. That is the Northern Ireland we want to showcase. Confident, outward-looking, and welcoming. There is no place here for violence or hate we have seen this week.
Let me be clear. The DUP has long called for honest action to address illegal immigration and the pressures it places on communities and public services. That doesn’t make us racist or far-right, it makes us realists. The loudest critics often sit in leafy suburbs untouched by the consequences of failed immigration policy. Their sneering commentary only fuels frustration and alienates those trying to be heard.
