Northern Irish unionists burn bonfires with dolls of migrants on boats

LondonPolice in Northern Ireland are investigating as a hate crime the burning of a bonfire in Moygashel depicting a boat with twelve mannequins wearing life jackets and a sign reading "Stop the boats"[We stopped the boats]. Moygashel is a small town in County Tyrone, about 75 kilometers southwest of Belfast. The representation, which crowned the pile of shovels with which these bonfires are traditionally made, is a direct reference to the arrival of refugees across the English Channel. The motto "Stop the boats" It was coined by the previous British government, led by Conservative Rishi Sunak.

The bonfire was lit at eleven o'clock at night local time on Thursday, twelve hours after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron signed the bonfire in London. a migration pact to stop the flow of boatsThe agreement, dubbed "One In, One Out," stipulates that the United Kingdom would accept one asylum seeker, likely with family ties to the country, for every migrant returned to France who crossed the Channel illegally. Images of the bonfire show, in addition to the boat and mannequins, an Irish tricolor flag and another sign with the message "Veterans before refugees"[Veterans before refugees], accompanied by two pistols. Several political, religious and social voices in the province have condemned the action, which they see as a clear example of hate speech and racism in a context in which the religious violence between Catholics and Protestants has thousands of deaths behind it.

The bonfires (bonfires) are a loyalist and unionist tradition in Northern Ireland, linked to the celebrations of July 11 and 12, when Protestant communities commemorate William of Orange's victory over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. It is estimated that this year will see a similar number. These bonfires often generate controversy because, apart from their religious and identity-based symbolism, they also burn Irish flags, portraits of nationalist politicians, and symbols considered provocative, as was also the case at Moygashel. They are also very tall bonfires, which can be intimidating and pose a serious risk if set up next to homes.

Widespread condemnation

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed this Friday that it is investigating the case as a hate crime: "We are here to help anyone who feels vulnerable and ensure everyone's safety," it said in a statement, which also emphasized that it is acting within the current legal framework. Despite calls to remove the effigy before the burning, the bonfire was lit anyway.

Condemnation of the act has been almost unanimous. Colm Gildernew, Sinn Féin MP at the Stormont assembly in Belfast, called the events "vile and deplorable" and stated that it was "clearly a hate crime." Church of Ireland Archbishop John McDowell expressed regret over the action, calling it "racist, threatening, and offensive." The Social Democrat ward councilor, Malachy Quinn, also denounced the fact that "racism and intimidation are not culture." "This is not pride, it's poison," he said.

Amnesty International's Patrick Corrigan has defined the bonfire as a "dehumanizing act that fuels hatred and racism." Even the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the main unionist force in Northern Ireland, has rejected the presence of effigies or provocative symbols, despite defending the tradition of bonfires. "They should be positive and safe celebrations," a spokesperson said.

However, radical loyalist sectors defended the action. Activist Jamie Bryson argued that it is a "legitimate political expression," upheld by the European Court of Human Rights, and accused critics of hypocrisy for simultaneously defending the rap group Kneecap, which supports a unified Ireland. The bonfire's organizers, the Moygashel Bonfire Association, justified it by claiming that the "unchecked invasion" of migrants is "the greatest threat to the United Kingdom since Adolf Hitler."

This is not the first incident of this kind in Moygashel. Last year, the village bonfire sparked controversy by burning a cardboard police car, a particularly sensitive gesture in Northern Ireland, where police officers remain a frequent target of radical attacks. The case has once again brought to the fore the debate about the limits of freedom of expression and the tolerance of bonfire culture, especially at a time when the immigration issue dominates the British and European political agenda.