Irish Examiner view: Intolerance fuelled unrest in Ballymena

Decades of institutional bigotry in the North may have prepared fertile ground for various forms of intolerance

A firefighter at Larne Leisure Centre which was vandalised after violence and public disorder in  Ballymena spread to Larne. Picture: Liam McBurney

In recent days, there has been sustained rioting in Ballymena, in the North. Readers have no doubt seen for themselves on television and social media plentiful footage of disorder and chaos from the town in Antrim.

There was a time when such violence was very familiar, and at this time of year in particular. The North’s marching season often involved confrontation between different groups, and the imagery of police in riot gear and youths throwing petrol bombs was a regular feature of the evening news.