Key facts
- A loyalist bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, was lit before police could remove a replica mosque and anti-Islam signs placed on it.
- The display was condemned by political and religious leaders as an attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred.
- Police had initiated a significant operation to remove the hate display.
- A 56-year-old man has been arrested and charged with incitement to hatred.
- The man is scheduled to appear in Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Friday, July 10.
A loyalist bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, which featured a replica mosque and signs with anti-Islam messages, was lit before authorities could remove the display. The Moygashel Bonfire Association stated they lit the fire "asap" due to confirmation of contractors moving in to remove it.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had commenced a significant operation to remove the hate display, which was at an advanced stage when the bonfire was ignited. A spokesperson noted that had the bonfire not been lit, police would have secured the site and seized the material as evidence. The PSNI is continuing its investigation into the hate-motivated crime.
Political and religious leaders, including SDLP councillor Karol McQuade and Amnesty International Northern Ireland Director Patrick Corrigan, condemned the display as "vile" and a "blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred." As part of the investigation, a 56-year-old man has been charged with incitement to hatred and is due to appear before Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Friday, July 10.
Moygashel has a history of controversy surrounding its bonfires, with effigies of migrants being burned last year. Eleventh night bonfires are scheduled across Northern Ireland ahead of the Orange Order's July 12 parades, with some events historically becoming focal points for contention.