A replica of a mosque placed on a bonfire in Moygashel, County Tyrone, has been condemned as a hate-motivated act and treated by police as a criminal offence.
Police said a 56-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of displaying threatening, abusive or insulting material intended to stir up hatred, while the investigation continues.
The display drew strong criticism from Muslim leaders, politicians and campaigners, who said it was deeply offensive and risked inflaming tensions in Northern Ireland after recent racist unrest.
The Moygashel Bonfire Association said the bonfire was an expression of cultural and political protest, and argued that the replica was aimed at ideology and government policy rather than individuals.
The incident follows several previous controversies at the same bonfire site, including refugee and police-related effigies in recent years, as debate over July bonfires and the Twelfth tradition continues. The event is also overshadowed by recent disorder in Belfast prompted by a Sudanese resident’s alleged attempt to behead a neighbour.
