Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Reform, spoke on the escalation of anti-immigrant riots that erupted in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Events that began with a protest against the presence of migrants rapidly turned into violent riots with police attacks, home arsons and property devastation.
Farage does not approve of violence, but warns that the current immigration model, devoid of integration, is simply a ticking social bomb. As he said in a conversation with the media:
"No 1 approves of burning down houses and hunting foreigners... Immigration only works erstwhile it goes hand in hand with integration. If she's not here, there's a division... Where people are divided, past teaches that conflict occurs. I am very, very worried about this.”
In his opinion, Northern Ireland is only the beginning – akin unrest can easy spill to another parts of the UK. As an example, he cited protests and acts of force that occurred after the Southport knife attack in 2024. In his opinion, ignoring social tensions, especially in places with a advanced degree of disintegration, will lead to further explosions of discontent.
Ballymena, a town known for its loyalist-republician tensions, became the scene of violent clashes after the arrest of 2 gypsy teenagers from Romania suspected of attempted rape. This event became a spark, but frustration has grown for a long time – there was a feeling among the residents that the state forced them to receive immigrants without question and without inclusive security. Night fights with police, firecrackers, Molotov cocktails, arson of houses and cars – all this was an expression of a deeper crisis of assurance in the institution.
The riots weren't just limited to Ballymen. another cities were shortly occupied: Portadown, Larne, Belfast, Derry, Coleraine and Carrickfergus. More than 20 officers were injured in Portadown and police across the country were put on advanced alert. Even Scotland officers were called to help.
The government powerfully condemned violence, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured full support for police action. At the same time, the government is under force to show that it can control the crisis – not only politically but besides socially. In the background, the question is: is the state able to integrate people with different languages, values and stories, or is it simply an imposed experimentation that will yet explode?
In Northern Ireland, where spiritual and identity divisions have existed for decades, the subject of migration has hit highly susceptible ground. Many residents see fresh arrivals as a threat to their already fragile social order. What was to be a motion of solidarity is frequently perceived as imposing a abroad presence against the will of the local community. There were even situations in which migrants hung national flags on their homes – not out of pride, but out of fear, trying to convince locals that they were “on their side”.
Farage does not call for violence, but clearly suggests that further ignoring the problems of mass migration may have serious consequences. What happens present in Northern Ireland, in his opinion, can happen next day in Leeds, Manchester or London. Especially if the government does not respond to signals from the streets – not only politically, but besides systemicly, reforming the way migration and integration are managed.
The current crisis puts Britain before a hard choice. Either the conclusions will be drawn and the way migration policy is being pursued will be changed, or social unrest will be repeated – in fresh places, with fresh victims and little and little hope of restoring trust.
