Watch: Leisure centre set on fire in third night of violence in Northern Ireland
A man who was inside a leisure centre in County Antrim as it was attacked on Wednesday night has spoken of the fear felt by customers and staff.
Northern Ireland Assembly Member Danny Donnelly said Larne Leisure Centre was being used by families and children for swimming and classes when it was targeted by youths and set on fire.
The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families fleeing violence in nearby Ballymena.
It was the third night of disorder in Northern Ireland this week, but on Wednesday night the unrest spread to other towns like Larne.
Rioting has taken place in Coleraine, Larne, Ballymena and Newtownabbey
Donnelly said a brick was thrown through a window of the leisure centre in Larne where a yoga class was being held and members had to flee for safety.
“Thankfully, nobody was hurt but as you can imagine there was glass everywhere and the women had to get up and leave,” he said.
Donnelly said it quickly became violent and the windows of the leisure centre were “systematically being put in”.
He added that paint was thrown over fire doors and described it as a “sustained attack” on the building.
“They were already throwing bricks at the police as well,” he said.
He said staff had to flee through the back door for their own safety.
Donnelly told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme that people and children became “fearful” and staff helped customers “to leave via the side doors and get to their cars safely”.
“It became more and more sinister, and it became more and more obvious that there was a malicious intent. You don’t come to a peaceful protest with a mask and bricks.”
pacemaker
The damage caused to Larne Leisure Centre in the riots on Wednesday night
Olympic swimmer trained at centre
Olympic swimmer Danielle Hill said the disorder was “racism in its rawest”
Olympic swimmer Danielle Hill, who trained at the leisure centre, described the attack as not just violence, but that “it was racism in its rawest and most dangerous form”.
In a Facebook post, she said Wednesday night’s events “are already being felt”.
“No child should ever have had to witness the sight of individuals in Balaclavas.
“A local community torn apart. Families left frightened. Workers, left without incomes. The harm is not abstract – it is here, it is local, and it is devastating,” she said.
Violent disorder broke out at Larne Leisure Centre on Wednesday night
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