Mosque replica on bonfire condemned as 'vile' bid to stir up anti-Muslim hatred
Police said a 56-year-old man was arrested as the display drew condemnation from officials and rights groups over anti-Muslim hatred.
- On Thursday, a replica mosque and anti-Islam signs appeared on a loyalist bonfire pyre in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, bearing messages reading "Secure our borders" and "End the threat of radical Islam" ahead of Friday's scheduled lighting.
- Moygashel has a history of bonfire-related incidents, including condemnation last year after effigies of migrants in a boat were burned, while police have recently removed "Muslims not welcome" signs from a nearby children's play park.
- SDLP councillor Karol McQuade branded the display "vile, dangerous and deeply irresponsible," while Amnesty International Northern Ireland Director Patrick Corrigan called it a "blatant attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred and intimidate local families."
- Police have been urged to intervene following the incident, and a 56-year-old was arrested on suspicion of contravening Article 9 of the Public Order Order 1987 in the village near Dungannon.
- Eleventh night bonfires are scheduled across Northern Ireland for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday ahead of the Orange Order's July 12 parades, with most events passing without incident though some become focal points for contention.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Moygashel Bonfire Mosque Replica Sparks Outcry
A replica of a mosque placed on a bonfire in Moygashel, County Tyrone, has been condemned as a hate-motivated act and treated by police as a criminal offence. Police said a 56-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of displaying threatening, abusive or insulting material intended to stir up hatred, while the investigation continues. The display drew strong criticism from Muslim leaders, politicians and campaigners, who said it was deeply of…
Replica of mosque set alight on bonfire condemned in Northern Ireland
A mosque structure bearing the Arabic words ‘Islamic fascism’ is displayed atop the Mosgashel bonfire. (Reuters pic) MOYGASHEL: A replica of a mosque, placed on a bonfire in a pro-British town near Belfast, was set alight on Thursday night before police had a chance to remove what they described as a “hate display” that was condemned by politicians across the region. Bonfires are lit across the British region in mainly Protestant “loyalist” neig…
UK police: Mosque model on loyalist bonfire is hate crime
Police in Northern Ireland said the placing of a replica mosque atop a loyalist bonfire is a hate crime. Political and religious leaders have condemned what the bonfire organizers insisted is a "political protest."
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