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<\/p>\nThe bonfire, which has caused controversy in recent years, has also been festooned with anti-immigration placards with one sign reading \u201cstop the boats\u201d while another reads \u201cveterans before refugees\u201d<\/p>\n
Police said they had received a number of reports regarding the pyre.<\/p>\n
“The PSNI has received a number of reports regarding the bonfire in Moygashel and the material that has been placed upon it,\u201d said a spokesperson.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice are investigating this hate incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice are here to help those who are or who feel vulnerable, to keep people safe.<\/p>\n
“We do this by working with local communities, partners, elected representatives and other stakeholders to deliver local solutions to local problems, building confidence in policing and supporting a safe environment for people to live, work, visit and invest in Northern Ireland, but we can only do so within the legislative framework that exists.\u201d<\/p>\n
It comes after a senior Protestant church leader condemned the effigy as \u201cracist, threatening and offensive\u201d. <\/p>\n
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh John McDowell quoted from the book of Leviticus (19:34) which states \u201cthe stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt\u201d which he described as \u201cthe words from the Law of God to his people\u201d.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The bonfire in Moygashel with its \u2018sickening\u2019 depiction of refugees<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we compare them with the effigy of a boat of migrants which sits, to our humiliation and lasting shame, on top of a bonfire in Moygashel, it exposes that effigy for what it is \u2013 racist, threatening and offensive,” the clergyman added. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt certainly has nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity or with Protestant culture and is in fact inhuman and deeply sub-Christian.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that the many people from other countries, who live in that area, and who contribute so much to the economy and to the diversity of Dungannon, can be reassured that it does not in any way represent the feeling of the vast majority of their neighbours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson insisted the effigy was an \u201cact of artistic political protest\u201d, arguing it was not illegal, even if \u201cinevitably controversial\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year with this bonfire there\u2019s two conceptually different things; there\u2019s the cultural expression of the bonfire and then there\u2019s the act of artistic political protest and this bonfire combines the two concepts together,\u201d he told Good Morning Ulster. <\/p>\n
“It\u2019s inevitably controversial; there will be questions in respect of taste and that will be up for debate but it\u2019s certainly not unlawful and I think a lot of the people who are criticising this are the same people who are defending Kneecap, and we don\u2019t need to go through each of Kneecap\u2019s controversies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year there was criticism after a mock-up of a PSNI vehicle was placed on top of the bonfire.<\/p>\n
Many have hit out at the latest stunt, branding it \u201cracist\u201d, while the PSNI has said it is \u201caware of an item placed on a bonfire at the Moygashel area\u201d and \u201cenquiries are continuing\u201d.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
A bonfire in Moygashel, beside Dungannon in Co. Tyrone, with an effigy of a migrant boat on top of it<\/p>\n
First Minister Michelle O\u2019Neill described the display as \u201copenly racist\u201d.<\/p>\n
“Many people will celebrate their culture and traditions this week,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
“Unfortunately, we have seen incidents that pose serious risks to life, property, the health of residents and vital public services, alongside openly racist displays that are sickening and deplorable.<\/p>\n
“Political leadership is essential to ensure the safety of residents, patients and the wider public.<\/p>\n
“It is entirely wrong, and completely unacceptable for these bonfires to take place in a way that endangers property, infrastructure, public services or lives.<\/p>\n
“It\u2019s time for leadership to be shown.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland director, described the bonfire as a “vile, dehumanising act that fuels hatred and racism”.<\/p>\n
“It cruelly mocks the suffering of people who risk everything to flee war, persecution, and hardship in search of safety,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
“Beyond being morally reprehensible, it incites hostility toward already marginalised and vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n
“Amnesty International urges the authorities to ensure its immediate removal and calls on the PSNI to investigate and hold those responsible to account.<\/p>\n
“A clear and unequivocal message must be sent that xenophobia and incitement to hatred have no place in our society.”<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the United Against Racism campaign group said the display is particularly concerning following the racist rioting in Ballymena and elsewhere across Northern Ireland last month, which forced more than a dozen foreign national families from their homes.<\/p>\n
“In a context of widespread violence against migrants and their homes, the burning of effigies is a precursor to the burning of people,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven recent events in Ballymena, and our own recent history, we must be alive to the real dangers that such acts carry.<\/p>\n
“This is an absolutely shocking attempt to intimidate people who are fleeing war, poverty and persecution. It deserves unreserved and unequivocal condemnation, and United Against Racism calls on political representatives to show leadership to ensure the effigy is removed.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
A bonfire in Moygashel, beside Dungannon in Co. Tyrone, with an effigy of a migrant boat on top of it<\/p>\n
SDLP leader Claire Hanna called for leadership over bonfires, referencing the Moygashel pyre and a bonfire in south Belfast that has sparked fears over nearby asbestos and the potential to cause power outages at hospitals.<\/p>\n
Ms Hanna said her party \u201csupports the right of people to mark traditions in a safe and respectful way\u201d, but that \u201ccannot mean turning a blind eye to very real and serious concerns around public safety and community cohesion\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing cultural or traditional about exposing people to asbestos, endangering critical infrastructure or fuelling racial hatred through effigies demonising immigrants,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Belfast South and Mid Down MP said progress in managing bonfires in recent years is being \u201cundermined by a lack of leadership and by a small number of self-appointed figures who seek to drag communities backwards and who seem to thrive on confrontation and media engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinn Fein MLA Colm Gildernew also voiced his concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an absolutely disgusting act, fuelled by sickening racist and far-right attitudes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a clear incitement to hatred and must be removed immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose who come to our island to make it their home are not the enemy. They are our friends, our neighbours, and are welcomed, cherished and valued by the vast majority of people here.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical leaders in this area must step up, call for the removal of these offensive materials and make it clear they do not support such vile, deplorable views.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A bonfire in Moygashel, beside Dungannon in Co. Tyrone, with an effigy of a migrant boat on top of it<\/p>\n
Alliance Party councillor for the area, Eddie Roofe, also called for the display to be taken down.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe placing of this racist model on top of the bonfire is despicable and must be removed immediately,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is nothing but a blatant act of racism and hatred, and cannot be excused as a celebration of culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose responsible only seek to incite fear and spread far-right beliefs and do not represent the community as a whole.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year, we see incidents of hate and intimidation associated with bonfires, and this behaviour is entirely unacceptable. While Alliance supports everyone’s right to celebrate their culture and traditions, these celebrations must be conducted safely and respectfully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey should never come at the expense of another person.<\/p>\n
\u201cI urge everyone to speak out against these actions, and I hope to see these inappropriate displays taken down as soon as possible. If we are to move forward as a society, we must all begin to show respect for one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
The depiction of migrants in a boat on top of the pyre follows successive nights of racist violence across Northern Ireland last month, which saw dozens of homes attacked and more than 60 PSNI officers injured.<\/p>\n
Due to the violence, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive had to provide emergency accommodation to 18 families.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The bonfire, which has caused controversy in recent years, has also been festooned with anti-immigration placards with one…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":254430,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[6571,1144,94225,1210,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-254429","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-andrew-madden","9":"tag-northern-ireland","10":"tag-the-twelfth","11":"tag-tyrone-news","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114830939788467545","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254429\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/254430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}