Belfast Bonfire Won’t Be Set Alight – NI Minister
Asbestos Fears and Migrant Effigies Mar Bonfire Season Amidst Political Divide
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Belfast,Northern Ireland – The annual tradition of lighting bonfires ahead of the Orange Order’s 12 July parades has been overshadowed by significant public safety concerns and political controversy this year. A especially contentious pyre in Moygashel,County Tyrone,has drawn widespread condemnation for its effigy of migrants in a boat,while a separate site faces scrutiny over the presence of asbestos,raising fears for public health and the safety of essential services.
Asbestos Discovery sparks Urgent Safety Concerns
The discovery of asbestos on a bonfire site has led to calls for its immediate removal, a process described as “highly specialised, complex and delicate.” The operation, which requires the site to be fully vacated, is expected to take several weeks.
Alliance Party MLA, Mr. Muir, expressed deep concern over the situation, stating, “There are many ways to celebrate, but not at this site.” He appealed for caution, urging people not to light the bonfire. “The removal of asbestos is very complex and delicate, it requires the site to be entirely vacated,” he told the BBC.”The site has not been vacated and that’s one of the significant issues.”
Sinn Féin MLA Pat sheehan echoed these sentiments, highlighting “serious public safety concerns” over the fire. “The question remains: how can a bonfire that poses a risk to the supply of electricity to two major hospitals and is built on a site covered in asbestos be allowed to go ahead?” Sheehan questioned. “Public health concerns must be paramount. What was already a high risk situation has been amplified by the recent discovery of even more toxic asbestos on site. There is a lack of decisive action and leadership around this issue as political unionism is failing.”
Orange Order Defends Bonfire Plans Amidst Criticism
In contrast, the Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev. Mervyn Gibson, encouraged people to “go and enjoy themselves” at the bonfire.He dismissed a council committee’s vote to remove the bonfire as a “political decision,” asserting that the council had initially approved the event. “I believe the council voted a couple of weeks ago for the bonfire to go ahead,” Gibson stated. “A few days before it, then Sinn Féin and Alliance and the SDLP decide to vote against it.”
Migrant Effigy Condemned as Hate Incident
Adding to the controversy, a bonfire in Moygashel, County Tyrone, was lit last night, topped with an effigy depicting migrants in a boat. this display has been widely criticised by political representatives and church leaders. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed they are investigating a hate incident in relation to the bonfire.
The boat structure featured over a dozen life-sized mannequins wearing life jackets. Placards placed below the boat bore slogans such as “Stop the boats” and “Veterans before refugees.”
Hundreds of bonfires are expected to be lit across Northern Ireland tonight, a tradition leading up to the Orange Order’s 12 July parades. While many pass without incident, some have become focal points of contention due to the placement of flags, effigies, and election posters on the structures before ignition.