The SKWAWKBOX has reported the evident emboldening of loyalist hardliners in Northern Ireland since the potential – and now confirmed – deal between the Tories and the DUP was first mentioned as a possibility after the General Election.
Belfast residents report a big increase in the number of taunting unionist flags, banners and posters put up in Catholic/nationalist communities since the deal was mooted, with some even being set up on private property owned by Catholics.
It’s an ugly development – and getting worse.
Every year, hard-line protestants build bonfires in preparation for the anniversary of the ‘Battle of the Boyne’ on 12 July – bonfires of a scale and structure that are mind-boggling to anyone used to a typical English ‘Guy Fawkes night’ bonfire. Here’s one from last year before its lighting and during the blaze:
But many are not only huge but openly racist or carrying hate-messages:
The above structure, festooned with images of Sinn Fein politicians to be burnt is bad enough, but some are even more shocking:
If the writing is not clear on the above image, zoom in. KAI stands for ‘Kill all Irish’ and KAT for ‘Kill all Taigs’ (Catholics) – and “we’re not racist we just don’t like n****s” speaks for itself.
There are many, many decent people on both sides in Northern Ireland and around half of protestants do not vote for the DUP. But those who do include many who would build and celebrate these bonfires and the messages they carry.
And our ‘government’ is empowering them.
For this and many other reasons, it’s essential that any Tory backbenchers with any moral sense take a stand for what’s right on Wednesday and Thursday as the debates and votes on the Queen’s Speech and Labour’s amendments take place. Defeat for the Speech – or even the approval of a single opposition amendment – is enough to bring down the Tory government before the damage of its deal with the DUP solidifies and worsens.
The whole UK needs it, not just Northern Ireland.
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That’s everybody’s fear not only Northern Island but Mainland. So obvious, so obvious. How can you manage so many problems, Extreme Islamists, Neo-Nazi and Black people against Police?
It will be very scary summer.
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Twenty years on from the GFA and the peace is still so fragile. I am old enough to recall that the “troubles” started when army were sent in to protect the catholics from attacks. I just see all this and wonder what May thinks she is doing, is she / her puppet masters so desperate for the NHS land and the dementia tax great property theft that they will be willing to risk lives? Then I think, well, they don’t care about killing people, with at leat 100,000 vulnerable dead, or about reducing police and security below operation capability,so yes, probably don’t care at all what price others pay. They are revealing themselves as the despots they have always wanted to be and were prevented by democracy.
Let’s hope they don’t try to go down Garvarghy Rd which they’ve always promised to do ever since the ban. You’re right to mention the fact that the army was brought in to protect the catholics from the unionists. People very often forget that. They also forget that Catholics before the troubles were not allowed to own their own homes, noe shops, businesses, not allowed to vote and other restrictions placed on them. If catholics had been given the same rights when Ireland was partitioned todays problems would never have happened
Brian. Not quite true there. Catholics could own their own homes if they could buy them. It was social housing that was the problem. Catholics could own their own businesses too. I was born in Derry in ’62, my father had both. Was a very prominent and successful photographer.
The only way Catholics could vote is if they were ratepayers. The thing that I remember amusing my dad, was that many ordinary Protestant folk were constrained with the same problems. The odds were stacked much more against the Catholic though.
Small correction to above… “when army were sent in to protect the catholics from attacks” should be changed to “when British army were sent in to protect the Catholics from police-led attacks.”
There were many different factors at play, agreed, and many different viewpoints, but we can’t restart the troubles here, we need to stand together to defend the Good Friday Agreement.
But it’s alright, because Graham Hindson said it was…Honestly, we’ve nothing to fear. The democratic process will triumph.
I wonder how much those pallets were worth? About £3-5 a pop, I think. Multiply by several hundreds = Money to burn..Wonder if all them lodges’ll be getting a subsidy for doing so, eh, Arlene?
‘sake.
Hi have you seen this? ON Twitter!
“Hi Sid, where was this bonfire? Could you email me on sean.odriscoll@the-times.ie Hoping to write about it.”
Not sure if it’s tongue-in-cheek or serious!!
Kind regards
Sid
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/09/05/news/half-a-million-spent-on-twelfth-bonfire-clean-up-680299/
“Earlier this year it emerged that the Fire Service has spent almost £670,000 of taxpayer funds tackling Eleventh Night bonfires between 2010 and 2015.”
ie in between the two occasions on which Labour considered trying to get the DUP onside.
Whatever the merits or demerits of the current arrangement, most people in NI must be delighted with the financial settlement and will be hoping that the hard liners don’t “queer the pitch” for a phase two review in a couple of years time.
And in response to The Toffee, whilst we may have concerns over the reaction of those who may feel triumphant (or the reaction of others to that reaction) in NI, or indeed concerns over the possible actions of some on the mainland, I have no reason to think that the democratic process will not triumph.
I thought those areas affected were meant to be mixed communities? Are we suggesting then that attempts to bring Protestants and Catholics together has once again failed? Also one of the bonfire images is from Tyndale/ Ballysillan I recognise the view from having lived and walked through the area.It is a shame to see so many difficult bonfires however not every bonfire is like that, Kilcoole, Ballyhalbert etc are family friendly and open with no contentious imagery. Hopefully there’ll be more like those.
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Quite disturbing and frightening and sad to read what’s been put on these bombfires. Rascists inciting violent comments. Pictures of opposition MPs and saying ‘kill all Catholics’. What A disgrace and a dishonour to all the people of Ireland
EVERY BONFIRE BUILT WITH OR WITHOUT IMAGES PLASTERED ON THEM IS TO CELEBRATE THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE!