North Ireland town hit by anti-immigration unrest

Northern Irish police said houses were attacked and objects were thrown at security forces amid public unrest in the town of Ballymena after an anti-immigration protest turned violent.

The disorder in the town of 31,000 people, some 30 miles (48 kilometres) northwest of Belfast, followed an anti-immigration protest in a neighbourhood where an alleged serious sexual assault happened on Saturday.

"A number of missiles have been thrown towards police with damage reported to a number of properties," a police statement said late Monday.

Two teenage boys were charged by police with the attempted rape of a teenage girl and appeared in court on Monday, where they asked for a Romanian interpreter, reports said.

According to local media, at least four houses were burned with flames spreading to surrounding properties.

Footage on social media appeared to show protesters targeting houses by smashing windows and some masked individuals kicking in doors and windows and throwing items including cans of paint and glass bottles at police vehicles.

Police riot officers went to scene with riot shields in an attempt to "bring calm to the area" said the police statement.