A prominent unionist activist has described loyalists who displayed violent, sectarian and Nazi images as "young edgy teens".
The hate symbols were put on display at a recently removed bonfire builders hut at Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre in east Belfast.
Concerns have been raised about the pyre, which is being built close to two modern 4G playing pitches costing £300,000, and the now removed images.
Last week, the Alliance Party, SDLP and Green Party highlighted the bonfire and the associated images.
An office linked to the Alliance Party in east Belfast was later targeted in a graffiti attack, which included the message: "F*** The Irish News" and was signed CRT - understood to be a reference to a group of young people who use the name Clonduff Rocket Team.
Images in the builders' hut included a flag of a masked man holding a rocket launcher along with the words Clonduff Rocket Team.
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A Swastika and the letters UVF were also visible on a makeshift table while the words KAT (kill all Taigs) were scrawled onto a sofa along with an obscene image.
A group calling itself Clonduff Cultural Expression Committee later defended those behind the bonfire.
In a statement issued through a consultancy firm run by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, the group was critical of the Alliance Party, SDLP and The Irish News for highlighting the offensive display.
Posting on Twitter, activist Joel Keys said he was contacted by young people in the area after details were revealed by The Irish News.
"Shortly after this site was in the news, one of the local young people got in touch with me and said something to the tune of 'You should talk about this they’re making us out to be racist and sectarian'," he wrote.
"Now I’m not here to defend the flags, or the symbols, in fact I’m not here to defend anything.
"This is young edgy teens being young edgy teens.
"Many of them have mates from a diverse range of backgrounds, from white to black to green to orange."
"Most importantly, they are human beings. Flawed like the rest of us. I’d ask people to remember that.
"Criticise behaviour, sure, but remember these are people too."
Mr Keys said he wasn't "going to defend any Nazi imagery".
"If it was there, it was wrong to be there," he said.
"I feel these young men would listen to reason though.
"Someone qualified should visit them to explain why it’s wrong."
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In its statement, Clonduff Cultural Expression Committee defended those behind the bonfire.
"This year there was a bonfire hut and some over-exuberant young people erected flags inside," it said.
"This hardly warranted front page news or the sensationalist reporting it attracted.
"In comparison to thousands of young people singing 'up the Ra' at Feile.
"It is rather benign silliness."
The statement also appears to reference the Nazi images.
"In equal terms, some misguided individual scratching into a pallet a disgusting symbol is youthful silliness, and certainly doesn't warrant an entire community being labelled with this," it said.
In an apparent response to Mr Bryson's role, Mr Keys also Tweeted: "And as an added note - I think it’s shameful that this story has been hijacked by a certain ‘consultant’ and turned into a political attack against Alliance and SDLP.
"The priority should have been helping those young lads. Giving them a voice. You stole their voice. Shame."
