Burning of Limavady bonfire a ‘hate crime’

Having visited the scene and spoken to police about the incident, Alderman Duddy said ‘tensions would now be heightened’ as a result of the incident and he laid the blame firmly at the door of a number of politicians.

“People are very angry and there is a lot of tension,” he said.

Alderman Duddy claimed that if some politicians had not spoken in the way they did recently, tensions would not have been as heightened as they are in the town.

He said: “This bonfire over the years has never caused any damage in the past and this year would have been no different.

“There were metal plates and sand put at the base to prevent any damage and let’s be honest, with regards to its safety, the proof of the pudding is there for all to see this morning. It has fallen in on itself as it was designed and built to.

“The burning of this bonfire could have implications for the local community, it’s a hate crime as far as I’m concerned and it was set alight to stir up the tensions within the Limavady community.

“There was a meeting prior to this with statutory agencies and they had put measures in place for the local community who were represented at the meeting.

“Hopefully all other bonfires will go according to plan and people will be able to celebrate their culture and history in a safe manner.

“I wish everyone a safe bonfire evening and a great Twelfth of July.”

Gillian Anderson