Anger after effigy of migrants in boat set on fire in Northern Ireland bonfire

WorldPolitics
11 Jul 2025 • 1:50 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • A loyalist Bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, was lit, featuring a controversial effigy of migrants in a boat and an Irish tricolour flag.
  • The display included more than a dozen life-sized mannequins wearing life jackets, alongside placards stating 'stop the boats' and 'veterans before refugees'.
  • The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed they are investigating the pyre as a hate incident.
  • The contentious display drew widespread criticism from political representatives and human rights organisations, with one archbishop describing it as 'racist, threatening and offensive'.
  • A prominent loyalist activist defended the Bonfire as a form of 'artistic protest' against 'mass illegal immigration', while the Moygashel Bonfire has a history of controversial displays.

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