DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said he would be happy to travel to Carrickfergus to speak to community representatives after images of female politicians were hung from a bonfire.
Hanging effigies of Sinn Féin president and vice president Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill as well as Alliance Party leader Naomi Long were pictured on the Eleventh Night bonfire in the Co Antrim town on Monday.
The PSNI has launched an investigation into the incident.
Sir Jeffrey called on the people responsible to “desist”, saying that “political protest” should not be mixed with cultural expression.
He told the BBC: “Displaying effigies of serving political leaders with the inference that they should be hung for their political views is wrong, it is unjustifiable, it is indefensible and it has no part in my culture as someone who is proud of my Ulster-British identity.”
He said: “I will be very clear with anyone I speak to that it harms our culture, it harms our identity, it harms our political position when you engage in activities that draw attention away from the positive aspects of our culture.
“At the same time is offensive to others and I think even threatening to others.”
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar condemned the burning of the effigies as “hatred” not culture.
Addressing the Dáil, Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty called the burning a “hate crime”.
“Over the past few days, we have seen effigies of my party colleagues Mary Lou McDonald, Michelle O’Neill, along with Alliance’s Naomi Long – in addition to our national flag – being burned on unionist bonfires”, he said.
“This isn’t culture, it is a hate crime. And it is unacceptable.”
He said that Taoiseach Micheal Martin had failed to condemn the incident.
“Shockingly, we have heard nothing from the Taoiseach,” he said.
“An effigy of the leader of the opposition burned in a bonfire 90 miles up the road and no official reaction from government.
“This isn’t good enough Tanaiste, it’s not good enough also from unionist political leaders, and also not good enough from the PSNI. And it’s not good enough for political leaders in this state.”
He asked Mr Varadkar to join with him in “unequivocally” condemning the effigy-burning.
“I did actually speak on this, on Newstalk yesterday, but happy to repeat what I said yesterday,” he said.
“It’s not often that you and I agree 100%, but on this occasion I do agree with you 100%.
“What we saw happen in Northern Ireland, effigies, posters of politicians, Michelle O’Neill, Naomi Long, others, mainly female politicians – but not always – being burned is unacceptable.
“The tricolour, the Palestinian flag, you name it, being burned on bonfires in Northern Ireland.”
He said he respected orange culture, and that he had attended an orange order parade in Enniskillen “years ago”.
But he added: “But burning images of other people, burning other country’s flags, that isn’t culture – that is hatred.
“It is absolutely wrong, and on behalf of the Government I absolute condemn it.”
