Barry O'Connor
BBC News NI

Thank you for joining us as the PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and the Chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mukesh Sharma gave a press conference after a third night of violence broke out in Northern Ireland.

Boutcher called for the violence to end and appealed for people to stay at home tonight.

We are pausing our live coverage for now, but you can keep up to date with this story on the BBC News NI website by clicking here.

This page has been edited by Naomi Holland, Jemma Crew and Emily McGarvey. Additional reporting from Barry O'Connor, Niall Glynn, Daniel Logan, Andrew McNair, Neha Gohil and Peter Coulter.

On BBC News NI's The State of Us podcast, Richard Morgan tells Tara Mills and Declan Harvey what he saw during another night of racist violence.

Listen now on BBC Sounds by clicking here.

Today's news conference on the disorder in Ballymena and other towns in Northern Ireland is now over.

Among the points made by Chief Constable Jon Boutcher:

• He describes the disorder as "wanton, disgraceful, criminal behaviour that is absolutely race-motivated".
• He says 41 officers have been injured, while 13 people have been arrested over the riots, and that those responsible will be prosecuted
• The chief constable says "speedier justice" is needed in Northern Ireland to act as a "deterrent"
• Boutcher says the PSNI will "make sure to have the resources" to deal with the disorder, adding "this will end"
• He says there will be "forever consequences" for young people getting involved in the disorder and asks them "is it worth it?"

Boutcher is asked if he is concerned about the violence spreading across Northern Ireland.

He says that even young people should be aware this has gone too far.

The chief constable says there are 'forever' consequences for the people who get involved.

"Don't go down that road, stop it now," he says.

The chief constable is now asked what some of those involved in the riots can expect from the justice system.

Boutcher says those involved in the unrest can expect "considerable custodial sentences" adding that the authorities need to send a "definitive message".

He adds that "speedier justice" is needed in Northern Ireland to act as a "deterrent" before warning that the police will come "knocking" on the door of those involved in the unrest.

"Is it worth it?" he asks.

Asked if there was any evidence of paramilitary involvement, Boutcher says: "The majority are very young people involved in this which is very worrying."

"What we haven't seen is some sophisticated coordination of action."

He adds the "incredible attention" of the violence on social media had caused young people to "come out to see what's happening".

Boutcher says there had been calls from people involved in paramilitaries to say "do not go out on the streets, do not get involved in this violence".

But he states he has seen people historically involved in paramilitaries "standing there amongst the people who cause this violence".

Boutcher references Monday's peaceful protest in Ballymena which took place before the first night of disorder.

"The people that protested about what happened to this poor victim on Monday, what they did was a lawful protest."

However, he continues to say "the people who are threatening families, who are different to them - that is racism".

When asked if everyone who took to streets over last few nights is racist, he replies: "I can see no other reason because they are focusing on families from ethnic and diverse backgrounds.

"It's racist and we all know it."

Boutcher adds the PSNI will "make sure to have the resources" to deal with what has been happening in Northern Ireland.

"This will end," he says.

He reiterates the violence is "retraumatising" for the young girl who was allegedly assaulted in Ballymena.

"She has been through enough."

"I know the family are mortified. I've spoken to them, they have asked me to make this plea."

He again calls on people to stop the violence.

Image source, PA Media

Responding to a question about an officer who was attacked with an axe yesterday, Boutcher says: "I cannot sufficiently praise the courage, the fortitude, the professionalism of our officers."

"They have behaved in a way that in 40 years of policing I have never seen.

"What we've seen since Saturday is simple yobbery and criminality and it's got to stop" he added.

"We will find you, we will arrest you and we will prosecute you".

Boutcher says the PSNI needs to be funded properly and is short of hundreds of officers.

"We are not funded properly and that needs to happen," he says.

The chief constable is asked if politicians who fund the PSNI bear responsibility for the police's inability to deal with what has been happening.

He replies that the responsibility for the violence is on those committing it, no-one else.

Now taking questions, the chief constable is asked whether there were enough officers on duty for the protest planned at the leisure centre on Wednesday - which was set alight by youths.

The chief says he "slightly challenges" the question that police knew the protest was taking place.

He says the spontaneous violence on Monday "was not expected to that degree" and the police service did not have the resources to deal with it.

He adds that the service did have the resources on Tuesday and Wednesday before adding: "But, when you get this sort of disorder it is incredibly challenging for any organisation to manage it in a scenario we would all want."

He says there will be incidents where properties get damaged and people injured.

"That's on the people committing the crimes, not the PSNI," he urges.

The chief constable says the "lawful protest" over an alleged assault on a young girl was "hijacked".

Boutcher says "what happened to the young girl was unforgivable", adding that two teenagers have been arrested and charged.

He adds: "We've identified a third suspect who is currently outside the jurisdiction, but we will be bringing him back into the jurisdiction.

"Criminal justice will take its course," he says.

"This young girl has suffered enough. She has been further traumatised by what has happened over the last three nights."

The chief constable states that after peaceful protestors had left, the event on Monday had been "hijacked".

Boutcher continues by praising the 41 police officers that have been injured over the last three nights.

"These officers have put themselves in harms way to protect communities."

Speaking to the diverse communities across Northern Ireland, Boutcher says "we stand shoulder to shoulder with you".

"We are here to protect you, we are your police service and these bigots and racists will not win the day."

Boutcher welcomes the comments of a judge earlier today in Ballymena where three teenagers were remanded into custody.

He calls for people to stop the violence.

"We will come after you, we will arrest you, we will prosecute you successfully," he adds.

He says this is not the way a "civilised society behaves".

The chief constable says what has happened is "wanton, disgraceful behaviour that is absolutely race-motivated".

He adds that the family of the young girl allegedly sexually assaulted want it to stop.

Boutcher says by lunchtime today there have been 13 arrests, but adds that there may be more taking place as he speaks.

Jon Boutcher, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), is now speaking.

He says he has spoken to the police officers who attended the protest on Monday and put themselves in "harm's way repeatedly".

Boutcher describes families who were "hiding in attics" and "hiding in wardrobes... who have done nothing wrong".

"They are not criminals, they contribute to society here and are well integrated, they are valued members of society in Northern Ireland," he says.

He says fire personnel described stopping arson attacks at addresses on Monday as well as the "bravery" and "courage" of police officers, who saved lives that night.

Sharma adds: "Officers should be working on everyday policing issues instead of mindless violence."

"This small minority will face fast and speedy justice."

He summarises the intentions of rioters as "racism, pure and simple racism."

"It is a sad reflection that people are putting identifiers on their front doors in the hope of escaping attack."

The chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mukesh Sharma opens the press conference by condemning the violent scenes in Northern Ireland.

"It is hard to find the words to describe the the scenes of vitriol and hatred on our streets," he says.

He welcomes the work ongoing by the police.

The press conference with Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has begun.

He has been joined by the chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mukesh Sharma.

Stay with us as we bring you the key lines from what they say.

Ahead of a planned protest tonight in County Armagh a housing association warned its residents to leave their homes and take measures to protect their properties.

Arbour Housing in Portadown sent a letter to its residents stating a planned demonstration in the town tonight, is "directed towards migrants, foreign nationals, and what are perceived as deviant behaviour".

A poster promoting the protest, which has been shared widely on social media, said it is "time to take a stand" and "stop welcoming these illegal migrant gangs".

Read more here.

The violence over the last three nights in Northern Ireland has targeted the homes of people from ethnic minority backgrounds.