Twelfth of July: Crowds gather as bonfires lit amid coronavirus restrictions

PA

Bonfires have been lit in loyalist areas across Northern Ireland as the annual July tradition took place amid coronavirus restrictions.

While there were fewer fires than usual, significant crowds did gather at several of the bonfires that did go ahead.

In north Belfast, there was a second night of sporadic disorder close to a community interface as police came under attack from petrol bombers in the nationalist New Lodge close to a bonfire in the loyalist Tiger’s Bay area.

Ahead of the Eleventh Night fires, politicians and community leaders had urged people to avoid mass gatherings and stick to coronavirus regulations that limit outdoor gatherings to no more than 30 people.

A young boy plays drums by a bonfire on Belfast’s Shankill Road as bonfires were set to be lit at midnight
A young boy plays drums by a bonfire on Belfast’s Shankill Road as bonfires were set to be lit at midnight

Crowds well in excess of 30 were witnessed at a number of fires that were lit late on Saturday night.

Bonfires are torched in loyalist communities across the region every July 11 to usher in the main date in the Protestant loyal order parading season, the Twelfth of July.

While the majority pass off without incident, some are the source of community tension, with authorities previously having intervened to remove towering pyres on health and safety grounds.

Many of the fires were cancelled during the Covid-19 lockdown, with a number of sites cleared of wood by the local authorities.

However, the recent easing of restrictions in Northern Ireland led to some reversing the decision to cancel.

A plastic gorilla is wrapped in Union flag by a bonfire on Belfast’s Shankill Road
A plastic gorilla is wrapped in Union flag by a bonfire on Belfast’s Shankill Road

Some bonfire builders also appear to have been motivated amid loyalist anger over a controversy that saw hundreds of republicans acting in alleged variance with the regulations to gather in west Belfast last month for the funeral of IRA veteran Bobby Storey.

The Orange Order has cancelled its plans for traditional mass Twelfth of July parades and demonstrations, which were scheduled to take place on Monday July 13th due to the fact the 12th falls on a Sunday.

Some loyalist bands are planning to take part in localised events in Monday, urging people to stay in their homes while they parade past.

Advertisement