Police in Ballymena are investigating two attacks on a war memorial in the space of three days which are being treated as sectarian-motivated hate crimes. The incidents, both occurring in the early hours, involved the theft of commemorative flags and the deliberate breaking of flagpoles at a tribute to men killed in the First World War.
Police appeal for witnesses and footage
PSNI Superintendent Willie Calderwood said investigators believed the two reports were linked and urged anyone who may have been travelling in the Queens Street or Harryville areas during the hours of darkness on 8 or 10 August to come forward. He asked motorists who may have captured relevant dash-cam footage to contact police via the witness appeal form or by calling 101.
“This is the second report we have received relating to damage and theft at the memorial in the past three days. We believe both incidents to be linked and are treating them as sectarian-motivated hate crimes.” — PSNI Superintendent Willie Calderwood
The latest incident, reported in the early hours of Monday, saw flags stolen and flagpoles smashed. A similar report had been made on the Saturday prior when flagpoles were broken and flags removed. According to local sources, the flags taken on the first occasion were Somme commemorative emblems that did not bear the insignia of any particular organisation.
Local reaction and calls for urgent action
Political and community figures in Ballymena condemned the attacks. Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows described the vandalism as “disgusting” and said he had spoken directly with Superintendent Calderwood pressing for “urgent action including arrests”. He said he had been assured that a robust investigation was underway and added: “Those responsible must be identified, arrested and brought to justice. We will not tolerate attacks on a memorial honouring those who gave their lives at the Somme.”
Rodney Quigley, an area councillor who chairs the group that erected the Harryville war memorial, confirmed the Saturday flags were Somme commemorative emblems and that fresh flags put in place over the weekend were taken again. He also reported that, during the most recent attack, vandals had snapped one of the flagpoles in half.
- Incidents: Two attacks in three days (early hours of Saturday and Monday).
- Damage: Flags stolen, multiple flagpoles broken — one snapped in half.
- Investigation: PSNI treating matters as sectarian-motivated hate crimes; appeal for witnesses and dash-cam footage.
Timeline
| Date | Reported incident |
|---|---|
| 8 August (early hours) | Flagpoles broken and Somme commemorative flags stolen |
| 10 August (early hours) | Replaced flags taken; at least one flagpole snapped in half |
The memorial is located in the Harryville/Queen Street area of Ballymena and commemorates those from the locality who died at the Battle of the Somme. Attacks on such memorials often inflame community sensitivities in Northern Ireland, where commemorations and symbols can carry strong political and cultural connotations.
Superintendent Calderwood’s appeal stresses the importance of public assistance to help bring those responsible to account. Investigators are continuing to examine the scene and follow lines of enquiry; no arrests have been reported so far.
Local residents and community representatives will be watching police progress closely. The incidents have prompted calls from political figures for a swift and thorough response so that the memorial, which is intended to honour the fallen, can be left undisturbed and the tensions such attacks can provoke are not allowed to escalate.
