In response to the racist violence in Ballymena last night, Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland director, said:

"Last night’s appalling racist violence in Ballymena could have cost someone their life.

“Today, families from immigrant and minoritised communities across Northern Ireland are living in fear. It is vital that the police act swiftly and decisively to protect those most at risk.

“At a time of heightened tension, politicians have a duty to choose their words carefully because incendiary rhetoric can lead to burned-out homes and shattered lives.

“Justice must be pursued through the legal system, not by mobs."