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A MOCK POLICE car was burned on top of a bonfire in Co Tyrone last night, something the Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie described as “absolutely disgraceful”.
While most bonfires will be lit tonight ahead of The Twelfth, some were set alight last night.
One of the close to 300 bonfires that will be lit tonight includes one in Craigyhill in Larne.
It measures over 62 metres and is said to be the world’s largest bonfire.
Last night, a bonfire in Moygashel, near Dungannon in Co Tyrone was set alight with a mock police car on top.
On Tuesday, images appeared on social media of a car decorated in police livery on top of the bonfire.
Hundreds of people gathered last night to watch as the unstable structure quickly toppled over into trees.
UUP leader Doug Beattie said this act was “absolutely disgraceful and truly pathetic”.
He added that “those responsible undermine their own cries for cultural respect”.
However, loyalist commentator and activist Jamie Bryson claimed it was a “bit of edgy artistic expression” and said it resembled stunts performed by Belfast rap group Kneecap.
The liberal elite will be salivating over this edgy artistic effort, the way they do with Kneecap. Surely there won’t be a different standard applied, will there? https://t.co/uZ6vp5MWRd
— Jamie Bryson (@JamieBrysonCPNI) July 9, 2024
An Ireland flag and a banner reading Saoirse don Phalaistín, meaning Freedom for Palestine, was also placed on the bonfire.
Bryson was present at last year’s bonfire in Moygashel and addressed the crowd.
The mock police car is known as a “topper”, and last year’s topper in Moygashel was a boat which carried a banner reading: “Good Friday Agreement? That ship has sailed.”
A picture of then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was also placed on the boat.
An effigy of Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill was also placed on a bonfire in Dungannon last year.
In 2023, the PSNI received 68 reported incidents, including 21 alleged hate crimes involving the burning of election posters or effigies, and 47 alleged hate-related incidents, including the burning of flags.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson today described the traditions around the Twelfth as “spanning the generations” and as being “intrinsic to who we are”.
“It is about publicly expressing our faith, our culture, our heritage. It is about celebrating, respectfully, our identity,” he said.
“In an increasingly diverse Northern Ireland, it is important that the Orange culture is celebrated positively, and afforded respect by all as we build a truly shared, tolerant society.”
The fires are traditionally ignited on the eve of July 12 – before thousands of members of the Orange Order and accompanying marching bands take to the streets at 18 locations across Northern Ireland to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
The battle at the Boyne river saw King William of Orange defeat Catholic King James II to secure a Protestant line of succession to the British crown.
11-12 July are among the busiest days of the year for the PSNI, who are expecting to deploy 4,000 officers and staff – around two thirds of the force – in a public safety operation.
The cost of the policing operation is expected to be around £4.5 million (€5.3m).
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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Why would airlines operate flights at a loss and the airports get state aid? Surely the incentive should be to the airlines too?
@Peter O Donnell: You’d think that logically. If the airlines had an incentive to fly then the airports wouldn’t need funding…. More logical decision making made here by Eamonn Ryan. Better than nothing I guess though.
@Peter O Donnell: Simple. Planes lose more money not flying than flying….
What pandemic.? Surely a pandemic suggests a massive rise in mortality rates.? So far in 2020 the monthly mortality rates compared to the same month of the 5 previous years, with the exception of April when our government threw the elderly to the wolves is lower.
@John Brendan Mullen: boring!
@John Brendan Mullen: thanks doctor.
@John Brendan Mullen: oh and check the news before you post. Italy records its highest daily deaths since April.
@Wreck Tangle: you define pandemic for us all please. I’m curious about your definition.
@Paul Furey: as opposed to what .? Summer months always have lower mortality rates than winter.
@Paul Furey: ye don’t have to be a doctor to know that “pandemic” is accompanied by a massive spike in mortality rates. That’s not the case in 2020. Ireland actually has lower monthly mortality rates compared to the same month of the previous 5 years. Panicdemic more like
@Paul Furey: duh.
@Wreck Tangle: yeah, you wouldn’t want anything as boring as the truth get in the way of a good story.
@John Brendan Mullen: “A pandemic (from Greek πᾶν, pan, “all” and δῆμος, demos, “people”) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of people. ” (…..hint….worldwide….)
@John Brendan Mullen: the lockdown worked and sheltered people like yourself from reality.
@John Brendan Mullen:
Why are the comments closed on the Healy Rea/deleany story. Surely can’t be for legal reasons
@ChuckE: you know why!!! Just think how many comments they would have to delete.
They would be better off building housing and looking after people with that money were is all the profit airlines have made over the years
@Pauline Cahill: you’re ok with the airlines folding, reducing in size and jobs being lost?
@Pauline Cahill: where are all the profits that pubs and other businesses have made over the years gone? The exact same place as airlines profits due to govt restrictions.
@Pauline Cahill: shareholders dividends
Wonder what Shannon will get as they have been ran into the ground by all governments..
Pity as with The present one and the Greens the traffic and the congestion etc to use Dublin is a bug of mine let alone the cost of Aviation Fuel to fly over Shannon personally does not make sense forgetting the passengers are from the whole country not just Dublin ..
@Sportmad: Airlines determine the routes they fly based on where the market is and where they can make money. Shannon cost Aer Lingus a fortune with their Boeing 707s and 747s from the 60s to the 80s. The fleet had double the amount of take off and landing cycles as their peers and with a full base due to the enforced Shannon Stopover. Madness! And who remembers being stuck in Shannon Airport at 4am for 90 mins while trying to get back to Dublin from the US. Having said all of this what could the government do for Shannon that would not cost the state a fortune and would benefit the country.
@Paul Furey: fair points but the fact remains that Dublin and Cork has been given a big advantage by Government in the funding it receives and as all are owned by the Government why is there a seperate Authority for Shannon..
Dublin and cork nearly 1bn in revenue 2019 and with snn just 24 m
There is a massive disparity in that
counties outside the pale and rebel county a fair share and then see
We have to travel to and from Dublin from west and its much easier now not 4hrs but yes 2hrs have you ever stayed outside dublin or used tge region’s airports doubt it.. but yet we must go to Dublin i have used ever Airport in this country and region ones best..
Dublin is a nightmare
Give the cash to not just snn but kerry and Galway the others are ok with those profits others not..
Rant over
What about all the profits and grants the DAA received over the years. What about DAA staff who took pay cuts? The media should look into ERIC and see how the DAA broke it’s promise to staff regarding it.
Chicken feed to be fair.
If I had a choice support our airports or the media I would back our airport’s
So about the same price as a prawn sandwich and a Coke.
have your say