TENSIONS are mounting ahead of the traditional Eleventh night celebrations with loyalist groups urging people to reject fresh calls to resume building bonfires.
A group in East Belfast instructed the community to collect material - despite all pyres being cancelled due to coronavirus.
The East Belfast Cultural Collective (EBCC) announced that the lockdown was over - drawing a direct link with the funeral of republican Bobby Storey.
Action for Community Transformation (ACT), a charity set up "to facilitate the civilianisation" of the UVF and Red Hand Commando, rejected this and asked people to stay at home over the holiday weekend, however.
Politicians and senior Orange Order figures echoed the group's call.
Bonfire material had already appeared in several areas prior to Mr Storey's funeral. It drew hundreds of onlookers who lined the streets of west Belfast. Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, who was criticised for her attendance, has apologised for grieving families experiencing more hurt. She is facing calls to explain her actions to the assembly.
Loyalists had begun collecting at sites including Ballycraigy in Antrim, Craigyhill in Larne and Grove playing fields in north Belfast.
But the activity appears to have ratcheted up since Friday, with an increasing volume of material appearing on several sites around Belfast over the weekend.
In a statement shared on the East Belfast ACT Initiative's Facebook page, the EBCC said: "As of now communities are permitted to collect bonfire material after the debacle around the funeral of PIRA leader Bobby Storey. Everyone is asked to be ready to defend our bonfires."
In response, the Shankill-based leadership of ACT issued its own statement.
"Contrary to other social media outlets, The ACT Initiative reiterate our position on this year's 11th and 12th July celebrations, home grown culture - keep it at home this year," it said.
