WHITE NATIONALIST ISLAMOPHOBIA
Outrage after mosque replica placed on bonfire in Northern Ireland
09.07.2026
Police have been urged to intervene after a replica of a mosque was placed on top of a loyalist bonfire Northern Ireland.
The model was visible on top of the pyre in Moygashel in County Tyrone on Thursday.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said one man has been arrested.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has described the bonfire display a "sickening and cowardly act of intimidation."
In a social media post, Benn said: "The placement of a replica mosque on the Moygashel bonfire is a sickening and cowardly act of intimidation."
"This is not about tradition, and in no way does it represent the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland."
"We must stand united and completely reject such hatred."
The Moygashel Bonfire Association has described the bonfire as an act of "political protest" against "uncontrolled illegal mass immigration."
Signs saying "Secure our borders" and "End the threat of radical Islam" have also been placed on the pyre, which is made up of pallets and is due to be set alight on Friday night.
Amnesty International described it as a "vile display" and a "blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred and intimidate local families."
The same bonfire site has attracted controversy in previous years.
Last year there was condemnation after effigies of migrants in a boat were burned on the Moygashel fire.
Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland director, said: "This vile display is a blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred and intimidate local families."
"It must be met with a decisive response by the police."
"The placing of an effigy of a mosque on top of a bonfire amounts to incitement to hatred directed at real people who live, work and raise families in Northern Ireland."
"It is a crime under Northern Ireland law to distribute materials that are intended or likely to stir up racial or religious hatred or arouse fear."
"The police must investigate this as a potential crime, identify and hold to account those responsible, and ensure this material is swiftly removed before it can be used to incite further hatred and violence."
A spokesperson for the PSNI said: "Police are aware of the item placed on top of the bonfire in Moygashel."
"A 56-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of contravention of Article 9 of the Public Order (NI) Order 1987."
"He remains in custody at this time."
Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows has called for the "immediate removal of the offensive display."
He said: "Bonfires are an important cultural tradition for many within the unionist community, and there will be many peaceful and respectful bonfires across Northern Ireland over the coming days."
"However, that tradition is undermined when bonfires are used to intimidate, provoke or demean others."
"There can be no place for placing any place of worship on a bonfire and setting it alight. It is simply wrong."
"Sadly, images of this bonfire will once again travel around the world, damaging Northern Ireland's reputation and playing into the hands of critics of unionist and loyalist culture."
In a statement on social media, the Moygashel Bonfire Association said it had "noted the predicable fury in respect of the act of political protest at our bonfire site this year."
The statement said: "This year we have focused on an issue of significant public interest."
"Our display may well shock, offend or outrage others, but nonetheless it is an exercise in our rights under Article 10 of the ECHR and we note with some irony that it is the ECHR which has so often paved the way for mass illegal immigration and a failure to deport foreign criminals who have come here unlawfully, that also now protects our right to protest in robust terms against that."
"If there was no uncontrolled illegal mass immigration, we would have no need to protest on this issue."
It added: "Our display expressly does NOT target any individual. We make that very clear."
"Our opposition is not to people, but rather to ideology and government policy."
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Sinn Féin members of the Legislative Assembly, Colm Gildernew, described the display on the bonfire as "deplorable."
He said: "The signage and effigy on the Moygashel bonfire is a clear hate crime."
Alliance Party councillor Eddie Roofe described the bonfire as "hateful and deeply offensive."
"It is unacceptable that year after year, we continue to witness these hateful and deeply offensive displays."
SDLP councillor Carl Whyte described the display on the bonfire as "absolutely disgusting."
He told the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme: "The singling out of an entire religion, an entire faith, is just shameful."
Eleventh night bonfires will be lit across Northern Ireland on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings ahead of the Orange Order’s July 12 parades on Monday.
While most of the bonfires pass off without incident, several have become the focus of contention due to the placing of flags, effigies and election posters on the structures before they are ignited.
Last month in Moygashel, police removed a banner from a children’s playpark, saying it was being treated as a hate crime.
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