A LOYALIST bonfire group which held a "fun day" to coincide with the funeral of Martin McGuinness have defended hosting the event claiming it kept young people away from interfaces where they may have gathered to "voice their anger".
Sydenham Bonfire Group is under investigation after holding the party last Thursday, with flags, burgers, bouncy castles and face painting, at Inverary Playing Fields in east Belfast.
The group hit back at "negative publicity" after Belfast City Council, which owns the facility, announced it had launched an investigation saying the event was staged without permission.
The group had advertised the party as a "cultural" fun day "key to diffusing tensions by providing a release valve for those within the community understandably hurt and angry by the portrayal of Martin McGuiness as a peacemaker".
Some of those who attended congratulated organisers in online posts on a "brilliant day" which the "kids enjoyed".
In a Facebook post, the organisers wrote: "As we made clear at the time the core purpose of this event was a diversionary one, to provide a safe space for young people that otherwise may have sought to congregate at interfaces and voice their anger there."
They added: "As those gathered in Londonderry indulged in revisionism and acquiesced to the presentation of an unrepentant terrorist as a 'peacemaker', we in East Belfast remembered the countless hundreds murdered at the hands of McGuinness's IRA."
PUP east Belfast councillor Dr John Kyle said he was unable to comment on the event adding: "I don't know the facts of the case".
A Belfast City Council spokesman said: "This event was organised without permission from the council and our staff were not aware of the event until they carried out a routine site visit at approximately 5pm on Thursday, March 23. At this stage, the event was underway.
"We are currently investigating the circumstances around this event and intend on speaking to our stakeholders about it."
Last year The Irish News reported on concerns raised by parents of children playing football games at Inverary Playing Fields, where a UVF paramilitary mural had been painted behind one of the goals.
However, last month East Belfast FC announced that the UVF mural would be replaced by artwork celebrating the football club.
