Northern Ireland

‘Police’ car placed on top of Co Tyrone bonfire

Bonfire site at Moygashel has previously featured a boat and a caravan on top of pyres

Footage online shows a replica of a police car on top of a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone.
Footage online shows a replica of a police car on top of a bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone.

A replica of a police car has been placed on top of a bonfire set to be lit this week in Co Tyrone.

Images taken at the pyre in Moygashel show what appears to be a real Vauxhall vehicle on top of the bonfire, with colours replicating a PSNI car.

The vehicle, which does not have any wheels, has the word ‘police’ on its sides and bonnet, but does not feature the PSNI logo.

Footage of the bonfire shows an image of Sinn Féin MLA and Policing Board member Gerry Kelly in one of the vehicle’s windows.

The image of Mr Kelly appears to have been taken at a previous year’s Pride march, as he has the colours of the Pride flag on his cheeks and is blowing a whistle. A PSNI hat has been superimposed on the image.

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The Moygashel bonfire is due to be lit on Wednesday evening, one day before most loyalist bonfires will be set alight before midnight on July 11.



Last year the site featured a boat on top of the bonfire, with a banner attached reading ‘Good Friday Agreement?...That ship has sailed’.

The bonfire attracted criticism after it was lit with an Irish tricolour on top alongside a picture of then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Police said afterwards they were investigating the incident as a hate crime.

It was reported after the event that Mr Varadkar had seen images of the bonfire and said he did not believe it was reflective of the north’s unionist community.

In 2022, a small caravan was placed on top of the bonfire before it was lit.