Stormont ministers make joint appeal for calm following two nights of street violence in Northern Ireland

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The statement said: “As ministers representing every party and department in the Northern Ireland Executive, we strongly condemn the racially motivated violence witnessed in recent days and make an urgent appeal for calm across society. The alleged serious sexual assault reported on 7 June in Ballymena was appalling and our collective thoughts are with the victim and their loved ones at this deeply traumatic time.

“It is paramount that the justice process is now allowed to take its course so that this heinous crime can be robustly investigated. Those weaponising the situation in order to sow racial tensions do not care about seeing justice and have nothing to offer their communities but division and disorder.

PSNI confirm seventeen police officers injured during a second night of violence in Ballymena after 15 injured on Monday

“While all of our citizens have the right to engage in peaceful protest, there can never be any justification for the violence that has taken place in recent days, during which residents have been terrorised and numerous PSNI officers injured.”

The statement added: “We are urging everyone in our communities to play their part in that effort and reject the divisive agenda being pursued by a minority of destructive, bad faith actors.”