Northern Ireland

Avoniel bonfire standoff: Belfast City Council to hold further meeting

Supporters of the Avoniel Leisure Centre bonfire pictured last night 
Supporters of the Avoniel Leisure Centre bonfire pictured last night  Supporters of the Avoniel Leisure Centre bonfire pictured last night 

BELFAST City Council is to hold a further meeting today to discuss intervening to demolish a controversial bonfire in east Belfast.

The bonfire has been built in the car park of Avoniel Leisure Centre, which was forced to close yesterday after loyalists blocked the gates of the council facility.

Today's meeting will be the third time in three days members will discuss removing material from the bonfire.

On Monday and Tuesday, a majority of members voted for contractors to move in to demolish the structure and take away bonfire materials and flags erected on council property.

Loyalists have vowed to remain at the site until after the Eleventh Night.

A group representing the bonfire builders today announced plans for a "cultural celebration" at the site through Wednesday and overnight into Thursday morning.

The East Belfast Cultural Collective has called on "loyalists across Northern Ireland" to attend and has encouraged flute bands to play through the night.

"We have been absolutely astounded by the levels of support from across the country and the help being provided by people making sandwiches, bringing tea or simply standing in solidarity with the unionists of Avoniel who are standing in defence of our culture and traditions," said a statement from the group.

It added: "We reiterate our consistent position. Loyalists do not want confrontation with the PSNI. Any proposed invasion of Avoniel has no community or unionist political support.

"There is no threat to life or property, no tyres and no community support for the removal of this cultural bonfire. As such there is no legal necessity to invade the area and such an action would be completely disproportionate.

"Should the Chief Constable (Simon Byrne) decide to allow the PSNI to become pawns of nationalists and republicans and invade our community without any unionist support or consent, then relationships with the PSNI will be irreparably damaged.

"Our group would again ask to meet with representatives of all political parties to allow them the opportunity to explain their aggressive actions towards our community."

Several hundred people gathered last night at the entrance to the leisure centre car park in protest at the council's plans.

On Monday bonfire builders voluntarily took tyres from the pyre in an attempt to prevent the council intervening, while a delegation also met with the PSNI.

They appealed to police not to assist contractors in removing the remaining material, with tensions said to be high in the area.

The Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh.
The Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh. The Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh.

On Sunday masked contractors moved into a site at London Road in the Ravenhill area and removed 1,800 tyres from a pyre at the site.

The name of a contractor allegedly hired by the council was later daubed on a wall in east Belfast by masked men.

Masked men near Avoniel Leisure Centre in east Belfast spray a message on a wall naming a company they claim is involved in removal of bonfire materials
Masked men near Avoniel Leisure Centre in east Belfast spray a message on a wall naming a company they claim is involved in removal of bonfire materials Masked men near Avoniel Leisure Centre in east Belfast spray a message on a wall naming a company they claim is involved in removal of bonfire materials

Yesterday afternoon the council reaffirmed a decision to use contractors, under police escort, to take down the bonfire.

It insisted the decision was taken in the interests of protecting life and property.

This was met with anger by loyalists who vowed to barricade themselves into the complex until Thursday night when the fire is due to be lit.

A section of the crowd protesting at the site of the Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh.
A section of the crowd protesting at the site of the Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh. A section of the crowd protesting at the site of the Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh.

At a protest at the gates of the centre last night, senior Orangeman Rev Mervyn Gibson called for protesters to remain peaceful but said as a member of the community, "I believe an injustice is being done".

"There was no need for the tension that has arisen around this bonfire," he said.

"No matter what this community did it was not enough to appease those who oppose us.

"This decision is wrong, let the council even at this late stage still do the right thing".

Jamie Bryson Loyalist Blogger and Robert Girvan at the site of the Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh.
Jamie Bryson Loyalist Blogger and Robert Girvan at the site of the Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh. Jamie Bryson Loyalist Blogger and Robert Girvan at the site of the Avoniel Bonfire last night. Pic Philip Walsh.

Loyalist Robert Girvin said: "This bonfire is going nowhere. There will be a bonfire at this site I can guarantee that."

A statement from DUP, PUP and UUP councillors yesterday expressed disappointment at the council committee's decision and urged "those who are angered by the decision not to respond in a negative way".

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However, Alliance party councillor Emmet McDonough Brown said the decision to clear materials at Avoniel was never just about tyres.

"It was about risk of damage to council facilities, flags which were erected, potential damage to neighbouring private property.

"None of these have been addressed," he added.

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