Police have come under attack for a fifth consecutive night in Northern Ireland, in what has been dubbed a "week of shame" for the region.

Some 63 police officers have been injured in what has been called a “ week of shame ” in Northern Ireland. Disorder started in Ballymena on Monday after an alleged sexual assault of a girl in the Co Antrim town at the weekend, and continued throughout the week.

Northern Ireland police say violence in the town of Ballymena, reportedly fueled by racial tension, have left 32 officers injured.

After racist violence erupted there on Monday, before spreading to other parts of Northern Ireland in four nights of disturbances, many Ballymena homes are also displaying yellow posters with “LOCALS LIVE HERE”.

Rioting which injured 22 officers in Portadown was "entirely unacceptable" and undermined the aims of peaceful protestors to have “legitimate” concerns about illegal immigration highlighted, the local MP has said.

Stop this violence. We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully. It is not in any way a way for a civilised society to behave and it must stop now. Read more: Women forced to flee yoga class through broken glass during ‘shameful’ Larne Leisure Centre attack “And I want to send a very clear message to all our diverse communities: we stand absolutely shoulder to shoulder with you.

Jon Boutcher warns rioters police ‘will come for you’ as he says 41 officers injured and foreign nationals hiding in attics