Sinn Fein call for 'zero tolerance' policy on bonfire effigies is defeated

The Sinn Fein proposal was made by Councillor Annie O’Lone at a meeting of the council’s Community Development Committee, at Mossley Mill, this week.

Commenting on the council’s “longer term aim to reduce flags and effigies” at bonfires, she called for a “zero tolerance approach” to burning such material.

A report to the committee said: “The Bonfire Management Programme has been in place since 2016 and is reviewed annually.

“The programme, in the longer terms aims to reduce the use of flags, images and effigies; promote wider cultural links throughout the borough and tackle sectarianism, racism, homophobia and other forms of prejudice.”

There are 26 recognised bonfire sites in the programme with four on council-owned land. These are Rathmullan Drive, Rathcoole; Anderson Park, Doagh; Rathfern and Neillsbrook, Randalstown.

The report says since the introduction of the programme, there has been an “overall reduction in the number of bonfires”; seven have moved from a traditional bonfire to a beacon and there have been environmental improvements in the management of sites.

It also indicated the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has reported a 57 per cent reduction in the number of bonfire-related call-outs in the borough and the PSNI has reported a reduction by 81 per cent in bonfire-related incidents.

The report noted: “There has been a significant reduction in any issues of fly-tipping relating to bonfire sites and delivery of prompt post-event clean-ups has significantly improved.”

Councillor O’Lone claimed the sites at Ballycraigy, in Antrim and Neillsbrook were “in breach” of guidelines and she highlighted an Irish tricolour, Palestinian flag and GAA sports gear on top and said effigies, posters and other offensive images could also be seen, which she described, as “hate crimes”.

She pointed out that the Neillsbrook bonfire takes place on council-owned land. She asked if the council would be able to claw back any grant payment awarded.

“I want to see flags and other offensive materials removed from bonfires and to ensure proportional consequences are added to eligibility guidelines and enforced by council when breaches occur,” she said.

DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop said: “This was a very successful programme since 2016. It is about striking a fine balance. It is not about grant funding.”

Ulster Unionist Councillor Stewart Wilson said most people would accept the days of offensive flags and effigies to be wrong but added that it is still “a society which is still very much deeply divided”.

Councillor Wilson said he and other politicians had been at Neillsbrook “for a time” during the day and there was “everything that makes the Twelfth a special time of year for our community” and a “positive expression”.

However, he indicated he had to “go home early” and if there had been offensive material, he suggested the method for resolution is “dialogue rather than punishing hard-working volunteers for a minority of people”.

Alliance Councillor Julie Gilmour stated: “I do not think anybody in this chamber wants to see offensive material on a bonfire. I am aware that in my own area, we had a circumstance where there were election posters, quite a few, an officer asked for them to be removed and the person in the poster was sent an apology.”

Councillor O’Lone emphasised she would never want to see an officer put in danger, suggesting photographic evidence of a breach.

A vote to approve the bonfire programme with the current wording and budget was agreed after seven councillors voted in favour with five against.