Moygashel RECAP: Fury over as 'migrant boat' bonfire branded 'disgusting' is set alight

The loyalist bonfire - topped with an effigy of a migrant boat - has caused controversy in Moygashel, County Tyrone, and now Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is investigating a hate incident

A controversial bonfire topped with an effigy of a migrant boat was lit last night.

Police are investigating a hate incident in relation to the towering pyre, which had also been festooned with anti-immigration placards including one sign reading "stop the boats". An Irish tricolour flag was also placed on top of the bonfire, which was set alight late on Thursday.

The structure in Moygashel, County Tyrone was described as "inhuman and deeply sub-Christian" by John McDowell, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.

And Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed it is probing the effigy as they want to "help those who are or who feel vulnerable, [and] keep people safe."

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01:35Bradley Jolly

Moygashel bonfire has caused previous controversies

Last night's incident has sparked fury.

And last year, there was outrage when a mock police car was burnt on the top of the bonfire.

In 2023, a boat designed to represent the post-Brexit Irish Sea economic border was torched.

01:00Bradley Jolly

Effigy is branded as 'disgusting'

Claire Hanna, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), described the effigy as "disgusting".

She said: "It would be ludicrous to call it art in any sense.

"In terms of life imitating art, not three weeks ago, we had actual human beings being burned out by probably some of the same elements involved in this bonfire in Ballymena, it's a deeply dehumanising provocation."

00:54Bradley Jolly

What was on top of the pyre?

The boat effigy containing more than a dozen life-sized mannequins wearing life jackets was unveiled on top of the bonfire.

Below the boat were several placards, one saying "stop the boats" and another "veterans before refugees".

The Moygashel bonfire has become well known in recent years for contentious displays. Last year, a mock police car was burnt on the top of the bonfire and in 2023 a boat designed to represent the post-Brexit Irish Sea economic border was torched.

00:50Bradley Jolly

Moygashel incident comes amid backdrop of illegal migrant crackdown

The saga comes amid plans for a "nationwide blitz" to target migrants working illegally.

Efforts are being made to deter people from seeking to reach the UK from France. Ministers hope to tackle the "pull factors" attracting migrants to the UK alongside the deal struck by Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to send some people who reach England in small boats straight back to France.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there had already been a "major surge in immigration enforcement activity" but officials have indicated that will be further increased in illegal working "hotspots".

Ms Cooper said: "This new pilot agreement with France is extremely important and allows us for the first time to return people who have paid to travel here illegally, and will sit alongside our wider joint enforcement action, including disrupting supply chains to seize boats and engines, shutting down social media accounts, and targeting finances.

"Since last summer, we have returned over 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK and a major surge in immigration enforcement activity, with a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests."

00:45Bradley Jolly

Dramatic photographs emerge from Moygashel gathering

As crowds continue to gather in Moygashel, pictures show people looking up at the pyre.

Dramatic images show the towering structure well alight, with fierce flames roaring from it.

It was set alight late on Thursday night but scores of people remain in the town, which is around 40 miles west of Belfast.

00:39Bradley Jolly

Hundreds of bonfires to be lit across Northern Ireland

There are around 300 bonfires set to be lit across Thursday and Friday night ahead of the Orange Order's July 12 parades on Saturday.

The traditional fires are lit ahead of the main date in the parading calendar of Protestant loyal orders, the Twelfth Of July.

While most of the bonfires pass off without incident, several have become the focus of contention due to the placing of flags, effigies and election posters on the structures before they are ignited.

00:33Bradley Jolly

Effigy is branded 'racist and threatening and offensive'

John McDowell, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, condemned the effigy as “racist, threatening and offensive”.

Quoting words from scripture, he added: “If we compare them with the effigy of a boat of migrants which sits, to our humiliation and lasting shame, on top of a bonfire in Moygashel, it exposes that effigy for what it is – racist, threatening and offensive.

“It certainly has nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity or with Protestant culture and is in fact inhuman and deeply sub-Christian."

00:29Bradley Jolly

Footage shows the moments before the effigies were set on fire

Footage shared on X, which was known as Twitter, show crowds gather to witness the effigies get set on fire.

A marching band - the one said to have paraded through the town minutes prior - is heard continuing to play music as scores of people look at the scultpture.

The camera zooms in to show the large banners placed on the pyre, including one calling to "stop the boats"

00:25KEY EVENT

Police confirm they are investigating a hate incident

Police have confirmed they received reports in relation to the pyre and were investigating the display as a "hate incident".

"The PSNI has received a number of reports regarding the bonfire in Moygashel and the material that has been placed upon it,” said a spokesperson.

"Police are investigating this hate incident. Police are here to help those who are or who feel vulnerable, to keep people safe.

"We do this by working with local communities, partners, elected representatives and other stakeholders to deliver local solutions to local problems, building confidence in policing and supporting a safe environment for people to live, work, visit and invest in Northern Ireland, but we can only do so within the legislative framework that exists.”

00:16KEY EVENT

'Migrant boat' bonfire in Moygashel set alight

The controversial bonfire topped with an effigy of a migrant boat in Moygashel, County Tyrone has been lit tonight.

Anti-immigration placards were placed on the pyre with one sign reading "stop the boats" while another reads “veterans before refugees".

Bands held a parade through the town prior to the bonfire being lit.