Second man arrested over slurry spread on Ballymena parade route ahead of town’s first pride event
PSNI are treating the incident as a hate crime
A second man has been arrested in connection with an incident where slurry was spread on roads in Ballymena just hours before the town prepared to host its first ever pride parade.
The 20-year-old was arrested on Sunday morning on suspicion of criminal damage, aiding and abetting criminal damage and causing material to be deposited on a road.
A 19-year-old man has already been charged over the incident.
He is due to appear at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court on Monday on charges of criminal damage; possession of an article with a blade or point; and causing material to be deposited on a road.
Police said the matter was being treated as a hate crime.
A rapid clean-up operation has taken place in Ballymena after suspected-slurry appeared on the streets ahead of the town’s first ever pride parade. pic.twitter.com/9Utho4yAHy
— The Irish News (@irish_news) June 28, 2025
Mid and East Antrim Pride’s parade went ahead in the town for the first time on Saturday.
An eyewitness told The Irish News that the waste left a foul stench in the town.
A rapid clean-up operation was launched on Saturday morning in response.
Local Sinn Féin councillor Breanainn Lyness said he was “disturbed” by the incident, calling it a “deliberate act of hostility.”
“Let me be clear, covering the streets in filth because you disagree with a group or event is not a form of free speech, it is a deliberate of hostility.
“These actions are not protests, they are acts of intimidation, and they have no place in civilised society”, he said.
The Ballymena councillor added that the town “doesn’t need any more hate or violence”.
He said that the incident “spreads a message of hate” and stated that “using disgusting tactics is not a protest.”
SDLP Councillor Séamas de Faoite described the act as a “shameful and targeted act of intimidation”.
“This was a calculated attempt to intimidate the LGBTQ+ community and spoil what should be a day of joy, visibility and solidarity in Ballymena,” he said.
North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said: “There is no place for this kind of disgusting and deliberate attempt to intimidate, disrupt, or shame those taking part in a peaceful and joyful celebration of love, identity, and community.”
“No amount of hate will drown out the message of inclusion, solidarity, and pride that today represents,” she added.
North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said: “There is no place for this kind of disgusting and deliberate attempt to intimidate, disrupt, or shame those taking part in a peaceful and joyful celebration of love, identity, and community.”
“No amount of hate will drown out the message of inclusion, solidarity, and pride that today represents,” she added.
by vague_intentionally_
16 comments
His mate touted on him lol
Silly cunts
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I don’t think the women at the Ballymena young farmers are gonna be missing out on too much when these fine upstanding young culchies get the clink.
What fucking losers.
Mods must be a buddy of the slurry spreader…😂😂😂
Who knew literally going to town on a town had consequences
I’m referring to the phantom sprayer
Don’t like gays, so let me **checks notes** pollute the fucking town with literal waste
Smart. Fuck up Ballymena even more so that nobody wants it
Deeply closeted farming community strikes again.
It’s not just a hate crime. It’s bio terrorism and they should be prosecuted accordingly.
Legend says if you say the slurry men 3 times they appear before pride parades
Maybe they could start lifting them for pumping it into the lough too 👍🤞
*Those farmers, they to too far!*
Becoming a bio-terrorist so you can make gay people smell poo for 10 minutes is certainly a choice.
I still don’t know what slurry is
Was there any bits of the fella from kerry found up there na?
They are probably riding each other
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