Burning images of people and flags is not culture and is ‘absolutely wrong’, Tánaiste says

Burning images of other people and other country’s flags is not culture and is “absolutely wrong”, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said.

Mr Varadkar said it was “not acceptable” that images of the Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill were burned on a unionist bonfire and the Government absolutely condemned such actions.

Police in Northern Ireland are investigating after it emerged that images of the woman politicians were hung from a loyalist pyre in the Glenfield area of Carrickfergus on July 11th.

Bonfires are lit in some unionist areas on July 11th each year as part of Battle of the Boyne commemorations.

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Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty said effigies of his party colleagues and Ms Long, in addition to the national flag, being burned on a unionist bonfire was “not culture; it is a hate crime”.

“It is unacceptable. Shockingly, we have heard nothing from the Taoiseach,” Mr Doherty said. “An effigy of the leader of the Opposition burned on a bonfire 90 miles up the road and no official reaction from Government.

“This is not good enough. It is also not good enough from unionist political leaders, the PSNI and political leaders in this State.”

The Donegal TD asked if the Tánaiste would join him in “unequivocally condemning these actions”.

In response, Mr Varadkar said it was not often that he and Mr Doherty “agreed 100 per cent” but on this occasion he did.

“What we saw happen in Northern Ireland; effigies, posters of politicians — Michelle O’Neill, Naomi Long, others — mainly woman politicians, but not always, being burned is not acceptable,” Mr Varadkar said.

“The tricolour, the Palestinian flag, you name it, being burned on bonfires in Northern Ireland. I respect orange culture and I attended a Twelfth parade in Enniskillen years ago with Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster and it was a very well organised and very respectful event.

“It is right that people should celebrate their culture, including orange culture, but burning images of other people, burning other country’s flags; that isn’t culture, that is hatred and it is absolutely wrong and on behalf of the Government I absolutely condemn it.”