Replica mosque burned on bonfire in Northern Ireland

On Thursday night, a replica of a mosque was burned on a bonfire in Moygashel, a town near Belfast, Northern Ireland. The structure, which featured signs reading 'secure our borders' and 'end the threat of radical Islam', was erected atop a traditional bonfire prepared for July 12 commemorations marking William of Orange's 1690 victory. Police intended to remove the display as a hate crime but the structure was set on fire by organizers before officers could intervene. A 56-year-old man was arrested and charged with incitement to hatred and displaying threatening or abusive material. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and various local political representatives condemned the act as intimidation. This incident occurred one month after a wave of anti-migrant violence in Belfast and follows a similar 2023 incident in the same location involving a model of a refugee boat. While tradition typically involves burning effigies of political figures, the use of anti-migrant symbols marks a recurring shift in these displays.