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Bulgarian family forced to leave Ballymena amidst anti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland

published on 6/12/25 12:21 PM

Photo: AP/BTA

Bulgarian mother Mika Koleva and her children were forced to leave Northern Ireland after her home in Ballymena, County Antrim, was attacked by protesters. “This is what makes me want to move out of here to save my children,” she told BBC News Northern Ireland.

Bulgarian mother of two leaving Ballymena 'to save my children'

“We know what’s going to happen. It's not possible to wait,” she said after protesters broke into her home on the evening of June 10 and caused significant damage.

Mika and her partner have a 15-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter. They came to Northern Ireland 10 years ago, have never caused any trouble, work, and their children go to school, Koleva told the media.

The protests began on June 9 after two teenagers of Romanian origin were accused of sexually assaulting a girl. Police described the violence as “racist hooliganism.” During the arson and pogroms against immigrants, some families put up posters with their nationality on their front doors to prevent attacks, the BBC reports.

Photos: AP/BTA
Edited by Ivo Ivanov
English version: Rositsa Petkova

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