Teenager arrested after slurry spread in Ballymena hours before town's first Pride parade
Police are treating the incident, which happened overnight, as a hate crime.
The 19-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a bladed or pointed item. He remains in custody.
The Pride parade is scheduled to take place this afternoon.
Organisers have said the event is an effort to celebrate "diversity, inclusion and cross-community unity.'
The slurry incident has been widely condemned today.
Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said 'There is no place for this kind of disgusting and deliberate attempt to intimidate, disrupt or shame those taking part in a peaceful and joyful celebration of love, identity and community.
'I have spoken directly with the parade organisers and the PSNI, and our team has engaged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to ensure cleansing takes place urgently and the route is made safe and welcoming for all.
News Catch Up - Friday 27th June
'Ballymena Pride is a historic and hopeful moment for our town. No amount of hate will drown out the message of inclusion, solidarity, and pride that today represents.'
Justice Minister Naomi Long said on X: 'I despair the mentality of those who spread slurry on the streets of their town motivated by hate and bigotry. Disgusting in every sense of the word.
'Solidarity to all at Ballymena Pride. It's a frightening time but love will always triumph over hate.'
The PSNI said: 'Police in Ballymena have arrested a man after officers on patrol in the Granville Drive area observed slurry on the road at around 2.55am this morning.
'A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a blade/point. He remains in police custody at this time.
'The matter is being treated as a hate crime and enquiries are ongoing.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Hate crime horror as slurry spread hours before town's first-ever Pride parade
Police have launched an investigation into the incident, with a 19-year-old man arrested and condemnation from politicians over the horrific incident hours before people take to the streets Slurry was spread on the streets of a town just hours before its first Pride parade. An investigation has been launched after slurry was spread across Ballymena in Northern Ireland, hours before the first Pride parade in the town's history is set to start. Police said a 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a bladed or pointed item. He remains in custody for questioning. The incident has been condemned widely, with North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland speaking out what happened this morning. She said the Pride parade, due to take place on Saturday, will be the first in the town's history. I want to unreservedly condemn those who spread slurry on the streets of Ballymena ahead of the town's first-ever Pride parade today," she said. "There is no place for this kind of disgusting and deliberate attempt to intimidate, disrupt, or shame those taking part in a peaceful and joyful celebration of love, identity, and community. "I have spoken directly with the parade organisers and the PSNI, and our team has engaged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to ensure cleansing takes place urgently and the route is made safe and welcoming for all. "Ballymena Pride is a historic and hopeful moment for our town. No amount of hate will drown out the message of inclusion, solidarity, and pride that today represents. "I would urge anyone with any information about the incident to contact police or report it anonymously via Crimestoppers." At least one street on the parade route is believed to have been covered in faecal matter, with it leaving a foul stench in the town, Irish News reports. Justice Minister Naomi Long wrote on X: "I despair the mentality of those who spread slurry on the streets of their town motivated by hate and bigotry. "Disgusting in every sense of the word. Solidarity to all at Ballymena Pride. It's a frightening time but love will always triumph over hate." MLA Eoin Tennyson said on X: "Sending my support and solidarity to everyone attending Ballymena Pride today, after bigots spread slurry on the parade route. At a time when hard-won rights are under attack, vigilance and visibility matter more than ever. Love will always trump hate." A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police in Ballymena have arrested a man after officers on patrol in the Granville Drive area observed slurry on the road at around 2.55am this morning. 'A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a blade/point. He remains in police custody at this time. 'The matter is being treated as a hate crime and enquiries are ongoing.'
Belfast Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Teenager arrested after slurry spread in Ballymena hours before town's first Pride parade
Police are treating the incident, which happened overnight, as a hate crime. The 19-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a bladed or pointed item. He remains in custody. The Pride parade is scheduled to take place this afternoon. Organisers have said the event is an effort to celebrate "diversity, inclusion and cross-community unity.' The slurry incident has been widely condemned today. Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said 'There is no place for this kind of disgusting and deliberate attempt to intimidate, disrupt or shame those taking part in a peaceful and joyful celebration of love, identity and community. 'I have spoken directly with the parade organisers and the PSNI, and our team has engaged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to ensure cleansing takes place urgently and the route is made safe and welcoming for all. News Catch Up - Friday 27th June 'Ballymena Pride is a historic and hopeful moment for our town. No amount of hate will drown out the message of inclusion, solidarity, and pride that today represents.' Justice Minister Naomi Long said on X: 'I despair the mentality of those who spread slurry on the streets of their town motivated by hate and bigotry. Disgusting in every sense of the word. 'Solidarity to all at Ballymena Pride. It's a frightening time but love will always triumph over hate.' The PSNI said: 'Police in Ballymena have arrested a man after officers on patrol in the Granville Drive area observed slurry on the road at around 2.55am this morning. 'A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of a blade/point. He remains in police custody at this time. 'The matter is being treated as a hate crime and enquiries are ongoing.'
BBC News
18 hours ago
- BBC News
Parking: Drivers urged to look out for fake RingGo QR code scam
Police are urging motorists to be cautious after an increase in reports of QR code scams for car stickers are placed over legitimate QR codes on parking meters and signage, directing users to a fake website which is then used to steal personal and financial City Council confirmed to BBC News NI that it had removed a sticker from a pay and display machine in one of their car parks on Thursday Ulster and Ards and North Down Borough Council have also issued warnings about scams relating to the RingGo app. Last year, some of Northern Ireland's councils introduced a new cashless payment system for some of its pay and display car parks through apps like RingGo. A statement from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it had received reports of drivers entering their credit card details into the fake portals, leading to unauthorised transactions."It's important that the public are aware of these scams and what they can do to avoid being a victim," it say they are continuing to work with councils and private car park operations to find and remove the fake stickers. How can I avoid the QR code scam? Following a surge in reports, police have issued the following advice to help motorists determine whether the QR code is legitimate:Inspect the code carefully, ensuring there are no signs of tampering or other stickers being placed on top. If you're unsure, enter the website URL manuallyUse the official parking apps instead of accessing the website via the QR codeCheck the website domain matches and ensure it is secure by looking out for https:// at the beginning of the URLReport anything suspicious to the police or parking provider immediately
