A man has been arrested in County Tyrone after a replica of a mosque was placed on top of a loyalist bonfire in the village of Moygashel, with police investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.
The pyre, one of hundreds lit across Northern Ireland during the loyalist parade season each July, was topped with the effigy, prompting widespread condemnation. The man was detained on suspicion of displaying threatening, abusive or insulting material, police said.
“Man arrested after replica mosque placed on loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland, police investigate as hate crime.”
Northern Ireland Secretary Hillary Benn described the act as a “sickening and cowardly act of intimidation.” Other local politicians called it “deplorable” and “deeply irresponsible.” The group behind the effigy, however, claimed it was an act of “political protest.”
The arrest came after an investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who are treating the incident as a hate crime. The replica mosque was removed from the bonfire before it was set alight, according to the Belfast Telegraph’s Niamh Costello.
The incident has reignited tensions in the region, where loyalist bonfires have long been a flashpoint for controversy. The July bonfires, part of Protestant unionist celebrations, have previously been criticized for burning effigies and symbols deemed offensive to Catholics and nationalists. This year’s inclusion of a mosque replica has drawn condemnation from religious and political leaders alike.
“This is an attempt to stir up anti-Muslim hatred in our community,” said a local community representative, though the group behind the effigy insisted it was a legitimate political statement. The arrested man remains in police custody as inquiries continue.
The investigation is ongoing, and police have urged anyone with information to come forward.