Man charged by police as mosque effigy burned on bonfire in ‘hate crime case’ | UK | News
A man in Northern Ireland has been charged after a replica mosque was placed on a loyalist pyre.
The pattern was clearly visible atop the structure in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, on Thursday.
Banners saying “Protect our borders” and “End the danger of radical Islam” were also hung on the fire, which was planned to be lit on Friday night.
But the bonfire was lit on Thursday evening, complicating the operation to remove the hate display, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
A spokesman for the force said: “If the bonfire had not been lit, police would have secured the area, removed the offending material and seized it as evidence.”
“The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s investigation into this hate-motivated crime is ongoing.”
A 56-year-old man has been charged with inciting hatred and will appear in court on Friday, July 10.
Superintendent Norman Haslett added: “Hate crime has no place in our society and will not be tolerated.
“We have therefore launched a proactive police operation tonight to take action and dismantle the display of hate at the Moygashel Bonfire. The bonfire was lit a day in advance to prevent incriminating material being removed prior to police arrival.
“We will take drastic action if there is evidence that a crime has been committed.
“As part of our ongoing investigation, a 56-year-old man has been charged with inciting hatred. He will appear before Dungannon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 10. As per normal procedure, all charges are being reviewed by the Prosecution Service.”
The same bonfire had sparked controversy in previous years. Last year, there was widespread condemnation after statues of migrants on a boat were burned in a fire at Moygashel.
Eleventh night bonfires will be lit across Northern Ireland on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings ahead of the Orange Order’s parades on Monday, 12 July. While the majority of these bonfires proceeded without incident, a number of them became flashpoints for controversy, with flags, effigies and election posters placed on the fires before they were ignited.
