‘Predictable demonstration of bigotry and hate’ condemned

A loyalist bonfire in County Tyrone, controversially topped with an effigy of migrants in a boat, which was lit to usher in the Twelfth of July, the main date in the parading season, has been condemned by Inishowen Councillor Jack Murray.

Crowds in the village of Moygashel cheered on when the towering pyre was lit and flames engulfed the vessel, and a dozen dark-skinned, lifesize mannequins with lifejackets were burnt along with placards stating ‘Stop The Boats’ and ‘Veterans Before Refugees’, in reference to the migrant boats crossing the English Channel.

South Inishowen Councillor Jack Murray described the incident as just another “demonstration of bigotry and hate that has become all too predictable during the 11th of July bonfires.” 

“Over many years, we've seen attempts to cause as much offence, hurt, and fear among anybody that's not from the loyalist community. We've seen images of Catholic priests, politicians burnt, pictures of people in coffins burned, people hanging from gallows burned, and now they've decided to take it further and try to offend our immigrant community in the most vile, disgusting, and offensive way possible.”

The incident is being investigated as a hate incident by police and has received widespread condemnation from politicians and church leaders in Northern Ireland. 

“It'll join a long litany of hate crimes. I think it's time that unionist politicians in particular spoke out on this and that the PSNI weren't just making these announcements, actually dealing with it with the full rigour of the law, because it's been going on for decades and it has to stop,” added the Sinn Féin councillor.

During the Buncrana Councillor’s first election in 2014, one of his posters was stolen in Muff and placed on a bonfire in Drumahoe. While he reported the matter to the PSNI, “I never, ever heard a word back from them. So that's the kind of point I'm making. They declare that it's being investigated as a hate crime, but I'd like to see them do something about it.”

“This incident once again pushed the boundaries, and I would like to see in a month, or the future, that the PSNI have dealt with it, rather than just make a public announcement that they're dealing with it.”

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Councillor Murray added that he wasn’t surprised that the Irish Government has been quiet on the incident.

“The government will choose to condemn things that are politically beneficial to them. They'll often comment on things that happened in the North, maybe 40 or 50 years ago, for their own political point scoring.” 

“But if they do care about the people of the North, if they do want to stand against bigotry, hatred, and this type of raw sectarianism and racism, I'd like to see them stand up and show a bit of leadership and show that the people of the Six Countries matter to them.”