Northern Ireland's police chief has warned “extremists and racists” behind three nights of violence in the area that his forces will target them.
John Butcher said the young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena at the weekend, an incident that sparked protests that turned violent in Antrim, had been “further traumatised” by the unrest that began on Monday.
The unrest left 41 police officers injured and 15 people arrested by Thursday evening.
Mr Butcher, who met the girl's family on Thursday, sent a strong message to rioters while speaking to reporters in Belfast after a meeting with the watchdog, the Police Authority of Northern Ireland.
“Stop this violence,” he said. “We will find you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you. This is completely inconsistent with the behavior of a civilized society, and it must stop immediately.”
He said the family was “saddened” by the unrest.
“This girl's family and she herself want this to stop. Our communities demand this to stop. We need it. So please do not go out on the streets tonight. If you do, we will prosecute you and deal with you through the criminal justice system.”
After the warning by 9 p.m. Thursday, gatherings in several cities largely proceeded without serious disturbances.
A significant police presence was deployed in Ballymena and Portadown, but there was no repeat of the violence of previous nights.
Police said a separate protest in east Belfast also ended in the early evening.
The unrest that took place earlier in the week resulted in acts of vandalism, the burning of vehicles and the burning of a number of properties in several cities.
Molotov cocktails, fireworks, bricks and axes were thrown at the officers.
Police responded with water cannon, dogs and plastic batons in an attempt to disperse crowds during riots in Ballymena.
Mr Butcher said: “I want to highlight the 41 police officers who were injured. Each and every one of these officers put themselves at risk to protect our communities.
“And I want to send a very clear message to all of our diverse communities: We stand with you. We are here to protect you.
“We are your police, and these extremists
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
