When ‘tradition’ becomes a clear display of hatred

[WhereIsMyJumper]

Am I being unreasonable to be aghast at the bonfires in NI? Burning the tri-colour as well as an effigy of a migrant boat. How can this be referred to as ‘tradition’??

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/firefighters-take-two-hours-to-extinguish-controversial-bonfire-topped-with-migrant-boat-and-irish-flag-in-co-tyrone/a1274789953.html

Sorry I didn’t read your post correctly. My fault. I thought you said the majority in NI were thick. Can I blame the heat?

Absolutely :) my post was probably confusing tbf. I should have said post people are lovely and not thick x

no signs? Seriously?🤯 What would you call a boat full of mannequins representing asylum seekers, on top of a bonfire, if not a sign?🙄

Nothing is done even when lives are endangered by the illegality of bonfires. Me and the two hospitals are living with the possibility of power outages because of this bonfire. Not to mention the stupid fucks defending their right to be exposed to asbestos.
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/07/10/unthinkable-that-belfast-bonfire-would-go-ahead-says-sinn-fein/

It is marching season. A time when paramilitaries spread fear, the Orange Order support them, the DUP refuse to do anything about them and the police claim helplessness.

It's a festival of hatred, terror and damage. I can't wait till it's over. We should not have to live with this!

It has been classed by the PSNI as a "hate incident" rather than "hate crime" and as a result will not be investigated any further.

@TooBigForMyBoots I don’t live there but I am completely with you. You shouldn’t have to put up with this. I’m not certain the PSNI are completely unbiased…

No, it's not "just" people sitting in a boat. It's a depiction of migrants sitting in a boat and as such a very obvious allusion to topical and ongoing events. Said depiction is then very publically set fire to. It is an incitement to violence and THAT is illegal.

I daresay the police weighed up the pros and cons of getting involved and dismantling the effigy (and arresting those reponsible for its very public display) and decided that getting involved/dismantling/arresting would lead to unrest. But I do think that their stepping back and describing it as a "hate incident" trivialises what was done, and pretty much gives the green light to anyone else wishing to do similar this year or in the future.

I'm getting the impression, basically, that the PSNI aren't really in charge; the local paramilitaries, aka thugs, are.

It's not so much a case of the PSNI being unbiased as the deep destructive hold that loyalist paramilitaries have on individuals. And the fact that the same loyalist paramilitaries are hand in glove with the 2nd largest political party in Stormount.

Agree completely. Possibly they felt this was the least worst option, but it leaves a bad taste.

This tradition hasn't 'become' anything. It's always been a symbol of hate. They're just hating someone slightly different this time.

Any other time on Mumsnet, “Northern Ireland” doesn’t seem to exist.

i am not saying I agree- but why is it ok to have a go at people for this but someone can comment that “some people from NI are thick as shit”? Could say that’s no better, and no doubt from someone who isn’t from NI.

how is that any better? 😅

That's very harsh and quite unfair...

on short planks

It was in Moygashel.
Where there is (still) a street called Prince Andrew Crescent.

I think you need to be careful to separate an extremely controversial bonfire which has been condemned by every party and the main churches in NI.I'll be attending a rural 12th of July celebration tomorrow which is a world away from the views expressed in Moygashel.My family will be there ranging in age from 2 to 92 yrs.

Hate speech , pure and simple.

Yep.

It's so shit that the least worst option involves risk to the health to those attending, from asbestos, a risk to the electricity substation powering 2 hospitals and my house, a risk to roads and houses nearby, is totally detrimental to the local economy and environment, causes a crime spike and puts ridiculous pressure on fire, police and ambulance services.

Why are immigrants going there -unless the Gov is putting them up in hotels (like they do here) -I mean I doubt there are jobs or vacant housing?
Anyway they won’t go there now I shouldn’t think which was probably the point of it.

They really are a crazy bunch over there unlike us.. apart from electing Nigel Farage, supporting Tommy Robinson, burning down hotels, race riots, looting shops, islamaphobia, antisemitism, rape gangs, Royal family/Epstein etc we are definitely much better than them.

And the immigrants themselves get into overloaded boats -with their children- to leave France of all places -that’s really sensible and well thought out.

Bring plenty of suncream for the field Sansan, and have a nice day.
I'm working. I like working the 12th, half the population are in Donegal and the rest can't move, unless they are actually at the parades and the field, and by mid afternoon everyone is to pissed to drive. So it's really quiet. Money for old rope.

Sectarianism shite … celebrating the oppression of Irish Catholics, the occupation of Ireland by the British … followed by centuries of Catholic subjugation.

What a thing to “celebrate”

So now people care. For decades these bonfires have been lit with effigies, of the pope, of Catholic people of note, of politicians calling for peace. Why all of a sudden are British people interested in this. You haven't been paying fucking attention for the last five decades or so. This is not new. It is outrageous, but it has been for decades. Why is this particular conflagration so deplorable?

It's disgusting and reprehensible but sadly not surprising, and should be treated as a hate incident. But don't judge all of us by those imbeciles - the majority of people in NI don't want this either. The 12th brings out the worst in society here

Are you kidding me?

Like the rest of the UK we lost a load of our workforce after Brexit. Food production, the NHS and social care were particularly hit. Immigrants from outside the EU came to fill those vacancies.

Also, like the rest of the UK, we accepted refugees. From Syria, from Ukraine and from Hong Kong.

And yes, we have asylum hotels.🙄

I find it deeply ironic that Irish people should take such a dim view of immigration.