<blockquote><b>Archbishop condemns racist boat bonfire effigy in Northern Ireland (UK)</b><br><br>Thu, 10 July 2025 at 2:24 pm<br><br>The Church of Irelands Archbishop of Armagh, John McDowell, has issued a condemnation of a bonfire effigy in Tyrone, Northern Ireland depicting a boat of migrants, describing it as racist, threatening and offensive.<br><br>In a strongly-worded statement, Archbishop McDowell said the effigy, placed atop a loyalist bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, is a source of humiliation and lasting shame, and has no place in either Christianity or Protestant culture.<br><br>Quoting from the Book of Leviticus, He said: The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourselfthe Archbishop said the display is inhuman and deeply sub-Christian.<br><br>He stressed that such imagery contradicts the teachings of the Christian faith and misrepresents the values of the Protestant tradition.<br><br>Referencing the bible verse he said: "These are the words from the Law of God to his people. He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we compare them with the effigy of a boat of migrants which sits, to our humiliation and lasting shame, on top of a bonfire in Moygashel, it exposes that effigy for what it isracist, threatening and offensive.<br><br>"It certainly has nothing whatsoever to do with Christianity or with Protestant culture and is in fact inhuman and deeply subChristian."<br><br>The boat, containing more than a dozen life-sized mannequins wearing life jackets, was unveiled on top of the bonfire. Below the boat are several placards, one stating stop the boats and another veterans before refugees.<br><br>The bonfire, which is due to be lit as part of the Eleventh Night celebrations, has already drawn widespread criticism.<br><br>Sinn Fin MLA Colm Gildernew described the effigy as deplorable.<br><br>This is an absolutely disgusting act, fuelled by sickening racist and far-right attitudes, said Mr. Gildernew.<br><br>This is a clear incitement to hatred and must be removed immediately.<br><br>Those who come to our island to make it their home are not the enemy. They are our friends, our neighbours, and are welcomed, cherished and valued by the vast majority of people here.<br><br>Political leaders in this area must step up, call for the removal of these offensive materials and make it clear they do not support such vile, deplorable views.<br><br>Sinn Fin MP Pat Cullen described the effigy as a clear incitement to hatred and called for its immediate removal.<br><br>SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn said he had reported the display to the police.<br><br>Those responsible for this hateful display claim to be celebrating British culture, he said.<br><br>Lets be clear, racism and intimidation are not culture. This isnt pride, its poison.<br><br>It is an affront to every decent person in our community.<br><br>Alliance councillor Eddie Roofe said the placing of the model of a small boat of refugees on the bonfire in Moygashel was despicable.<br><br>It is nothing but a blatant act of racism and hatred and cannot be excused as a celebration of culture.<br><br>Those responsible only seek to incite fear and spread far-right beliefs and do not represent the community as a whole.<br><br>Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty Internationals Northern Ireland director, described the bonfire as a vile, dehumanising act that fuels hatred and racism.<br><br>Amnesty International urges the authorities to ensure its immediate removal and calls on the PSNI to investigate and hold those responsible to account, he said.<br><br>A clear and unequivocal message must be sent that xenophobia and incitement to hatred have no place in our society.<br><br>I hope that the many people from other countries, who live in that area, and who contribute so much to the economy and to the diversity of Dungannon, can be reassured that it does not in any way represent the feeling of the vast majority of their neighbours, he added.<br><br> <iframe class=youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gFbut4xXs3Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><a rel=ugc href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=gFbut4xXs3Q">https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=gFbut4xXs3Q</a><br><br> <iframe class=youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CUVpi3FH8F4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><a rel=ugc href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=CUVpi3FH8F4">https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=CUVpi3FH8F4</a><br><br> <iframe class=youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lUVKuCmz0ao" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br><a rel=ugc href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=lUVKuCmz0ao">https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=lUVKuCmz0ao</a></blockquote><br><a rel=ugc href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/archbishop-condemns-racist-boat-bonfire-132404393.html'guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGCoEOqsjdX85gRMcd2ag3H9AqrjtX9NhxK41CS4zH5sgMyt4Cet4_5KLebit_HVfvEGeLdM02o6GsKoII9Z7eHvXckV-NAWJy3CugKYxQu-vhCVPw9x3dDtKd1gdemDx09b90gIBhTHua5nYhK8UdaHDzAfjAwzGk2x-fFzwzkA">https://uk.news.yahoo.com/archbishop-condemns-racist-boat-bonfire-132404393.html'guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGCoEOqsjdX85gRMcd2ag3H9AqrjtX9NhxK41CS4zH5sgMyt4Cet4_5KLebit_HVfvEGeLdM02o6GsKoII9Z7eHvXckV-NAWJy3CugKYxQu-vhCVPw9x3dDtKd1gdemDx09b90gIBhTHua5nYhK8UdaHDzAfjAwzGk2x-fFzwzkA</a>
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