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A loyalist bonfire in Northern Ireland controversially topped with an effigy of migrants in a boat has been lit.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said they were investigating a hate incident in reference to the pyre in Moygashel on the outskirts of Dungannon, Co Tyrone.
The bonfire featured a boat containing more than a dozen life-sized mannequins wearing life jackets.
An Irish tricolour flag was also placed on the bonfire, which is among about 300 which will be burned across Thursday and Friday night in the region, ahead of the Orange Order's annual July 12 parades.
The display on top of the bonfire drew criticism from political representatives across the spectrum in Northern Ireland.
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland John McDowell described it as "racist, threatening and offensive".
Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland director, called the bonfire a "vile, dehumanising act that fuels hatred and racism".
Below the boat were several placards, including one saying "stop the boats" and another reading "veterans before refugees".
The Moygashel bonfire has become notorious for contentious displays in recent years.
Last year, a mock police car was burnt on top of the bonfire, whilst in 2023 a boat designed to represent the post-Brexit Irish Sea economic border was torched.
Prominent loyalist activist Jamie Bryson defended the display as a form of "artistic protest". He posted on X that "every year Moygashel bonfire combines artistic protest with their cultural celebration" and said "this year the focus is on the scandal of mass illegal immigration".
Police investigation underway
Police said earlier on Thursday they had received numerous reports regarding the bonfire and the material placed on it.
The force said: "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."
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
