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This evening, the streets of a small town in the UK erupted as a protest over a recent sexual assault escalated into , with petrol bombs being hurled at police officers.

The chaos unfolded in Ballymena, Co Antrim, in , after roughly 2,500 individuals assembled to show solidarity with the female assault victim.

Two boys, both 14 years old, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident and charged with attempted rape.

They appeared before Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Monday morning, denying the charge of attempted oral rape via a Romanian interpreter. By Monday evening, crowds had swarmed outside Ballymena's police station and Clonavon Terrace, near the site of the claimed attack that occurred on Saturday, June 7.

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A Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesperson issued a statement: "A number of missiles have been thrown towards police with damage reported to a number of properties. Officers are advising motorists and pedestrians to avoid the Clonavon Road area until further notice."

They went on to say: "It follows a protest in the area earlier this evening. Officers are in attendance to ensure the safety of everyone involved. They will remain in the area tonight to continue to monitor the situation."

Chief Superintendent Sue Steen has issued a plea for calm amidst the chaos, stating: "We are urging everyone to remain calm and to act responsibly. Violence and disorder will only place people at greater risk. Our priority is to keep the community safe, and I would appeal to everyone to work with us to bring calm to the area as quickly as possible."

After 10.30pm, over an hour since the protests escalated into violence, riot police were spotted arriving in the town centre to tackle the escalating unrest. At the same time, firefighters were busy trying to extinguish wheelie bin fires and stop the flames from reaching adjacent buildings.

Videos circulating on social media show large numbers of people with masks drawn over their faces stood in front of burned properties, some with their windows smashed in. Northern Ireland's Fire Service was seen tackling two property fires on Clonavon Terrace, where the groups had gathered earlier, at around 11.15pm (June 9).

reports that "sporadic" rioting has continued into the night, with the atmosphere described as "tense". A large police presence is expected to remain in Ballymena until Tuesday morning.

Stay tuned for further updates to this ongoing incident.