Loyalists should stop burning effigies of living people, says Jamie Bryson

(Scroll down for link to article by Jamie Bryson)

Amid controversy over the placing of such effigies and images of politicians on Eleventh Night bonfires, the loyalist activist has said that there is no “moral” or unionist “strategic” case for such conduct.

Some bonfires did not have representations of people on them but were set ablaze adorned with Irish Tricolours. Mr Bryson says he draws a distinction between the burning of such depictions of people and the burning of flags, which he says is a form of protest recognised even in America.

Writing in today's News Letter, he says the Eleventh and Twelfth has been “another excellent celebration” of unionist culture but says there have been “a miniscule number of issues, such as burning of personalised effigies ... and despicable attacks on ambulance staff”.

He says “this is an internal discussion which needs to be had across the unionist and loyalist community” and adds that “condemnation or coercion is never going to work; engagement and persuasion is the only way forward”.

Meanwhile, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson echoed those comments – apart from the burning of flags.

He said: “Throughout my lifetime I have had the privilege to celebrate and educate others about my identity and culture all over the world. At no point has burning posters, flags or effigies of serving politicians featured as part of that. We rightly object when republicans burn the Union Flag or engage in other provocative behaviour. We cannot have double standards on this.”

However, UUP leader Doug Beattie was more scathing in his remarks, saying the burning of effigies has “damaged the image” of unionist culture and that it shows the “very worst” in some people.

Jamie Bryson: I see no moral or strategic case for the burning of effigies