Time to Reflect
Nicola Grant – Regional Spokesperson of The Workers Party
Vile and Dehumanising Displays
As the dust settles, we have time to reflect calmly and objectively on the annual Twelfth of July parades and bonfires which have taken place across Northern Ireland. First, we must recognise and acknowledge that the vast majority of these events took place in a respectful, safe and dignified manner. However, we are compelled to speak out against the deeply troubling rise in racism, sectarianism, and public health threats that continue to plague some of these events. The Workers Party has always defended the right to assemble in public space even when that was seen in some quarters to be unpopular but has also asserted the necessity of the right to community protection. While cultural expression is a right that should be respected, it cannot be used as a smokescreen for hatred, exclusion, or physical endangerment.
The Workers Party has no hesitation in condemning in the strongest terms the vile and dehumanising displays seen on a number of bonfires this year, particularly the Moygashel bonfire, where effigies of refugees wearing lifejackets were placed alongside banners with racist and anti-immigrant slogans such as ‘Stop the Boats’. The burning of Palestinian flags in circumstances where the people of Palestine are enduring genocidal conditions, including starvation, is cruel and shameful. These images are not just provocative - they are a direct attack on vulnerable people who are suffering and who are suffering or have fled war, poverty, and oppression. They are a grotesque distortion of working-class values and solidarity, and they have no place in any society that calls itself democratic or humane.
The increasing presence of racist and sectarian content - burning flags and personal images of politicians - reflects a troubling tolerance of intimidation and bigotry and describing hate-filled imagery as “artistic” is callous and obscene. To defend this as ‘tradition’ is in many cases a vehicle for supremacist ideology and fearmongering. This is not cultural pride - it is calculated hate, designed to intimidate and reinforce division. It is the responsibility of elected representatives and public institutions to draw a clear line between celebration and incitement and in many instances, with some notable exceptions, this has been missing.
Health Risks
Beyond the obvious social and political concerns, some bonfires also pose significant health and safety risks. Many are built from treated wood, plastics, and even asbestos-containing materials, and are often situated dangerously close to homes, public buildings, and critical infrastructure. Where there is a demonstrable serious risk, public authorities must never concede ground to mob rule and paramilitary threats.
Moreover, health charities have warned of a sharp spike in respiratory illnesses caused by the toxic smoke, which particularly affects the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing lung conditions like asthma and COPD. Some (a minority) events on the Eleventh Night pose a symbolic threat to community relations but also a literal hazard to public health. No tradition should come at the cost of people’s well-being, yet we have seen little in the way of meaningful agreement, regulation or enforcement.
The Workers Party believes that these issues require urgent and coordinated action and should not be left literally until the eleventh hour for use as a political football. Stormont, local councils, and the PSNI must commit to properly regulating bonfire materials and locations, outlawing sectarian and racist imagery, and protecting all citizens - especially those most vulnerable. The police must act without fear or favour, and councils must have the resources and political will to intervene where necessary.
Hypocrisy
Let us be clear: contempt for regulations to protect lives is not confined to a small number of people in the PUL community. The disgraceful distain demonstrated by Sinn Féin in contravention of the Covid regulations when they felt they were entitled to defy health and safety provisions, as others were compelled to abide by severe restrictions when saying goodbye to their loved ones, points up the hypocrisy of their condemnation of the unionist community in recent days.
Workers Unite
Culture should build bridges, not burn them. Working-class Protestants and Catholics alike have more in common than that which divides them. The real enemies are poverty, underinvestment, and the economic forces of capitalism that exploit and divide our communities. We urge all those who truly value their heritage to reject hatred in its name and to work towards a future based on solidarity, equality, and shared dignity for all.
24th July 2025
