Sinn Féin politicians John O’Dowd and Catherine Seeley are reporting a bonfire day in Portadown for ‘hate crimes’.
Pictures from the bonfire day, described O’Down as a “Children’s Fun and Bonfire Day” show a bonfire topped with Ireland flags and messages like ‘IRA’ and ‘1916’ being set alight.
The bonfire also carried election posters belonging to Sinn Féin politicians Catherine Seeley and John O’Down, who was Minister for Education in the North until 2016.
Both politicians have lambasted the practice on Twitter, with Seeley asserting that she will be reporting it for “the blatant hate crime that it is.”
.@JohnODowdSF and I will be reporting this for the blatant hate crime that it is pic.twitter.com/R6XGLbtZPA
— Catherine Nelson (@CatSeeley) July 9, 2016
O’Dowd went on to question what message behaviour like this conveys to the young people of Portadown.
These are images from a " Children's Fun Day & Bonfire" in Portadown. What messages does this give to young minds? pic.twitter.com/CdO9yZ8o8K
— John O' Dowd (@JohnODowdSF) July 10, 2016
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