A 56-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a loyalist bonfire in County Tyrone that features an effigy of a mosque, which has been widely condemned as an incitement to hatred. The bonfire, set to be lit on Friday night in the village of Moygashel, is part of annual loyalist commemorations marking the Battle of the Boyne.
Details of the Display
The effigy sits atop a tower of pallets, with placards beneath reading “secure our borders” and “end the threat of radical Islam.” The Moygashel Bonfire Association defended the display as a “political protest” against “uncontrolled illegal mass immigration” and a “failure to deport” foreign criminals. In a Facebook statement, the group said the display was an exercise of rights under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, adding that it did not target individuals but rather ideology and government policy.
Condemnation and Arrest
Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland director, described the effigy as “vile” and a “blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred and intimidate local families.” He urged police to investigate it as a potential crime and ensure the material is removed. Police confirmed on Thursday that a 56-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying threatening, abusive, or insulting material intended to stir up hatred. He remains in custody.
Broader Context
The controversy follows recent race riots in Belfast and other towns triggered by a knife attack for which a Sudanese man has been charged. Last year, the same association burned an effigy of a dozen dark-skinned mannequins with lifejackets in a boat. The Moygashel bonfire is one of an estimated 300 to be lit across Northern Ireland this weekend. Some bonfires have historically burned Irish tricolours and nationalist effigies, but anti-immigrant themes have become more common in recent years.
Political Reactions
Politicians have called for the bonfire to be removed. Colm Gildernew, Sinn Féin assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, labeled it a hate crime, stating, “There is no place in our society for racism.” Alliance party councillor Eddie Roofe said those responsible were trying to instil fear. The nonprofit Faith Matters warned that burning a replica mosque sends a “chilling and dangerous message” to Muslim communities. In the Republic of Ireland, three men have admitted in court to plotting to set fire to a mosque in County Galway last year, with sentencing scheduled for October.
