Police in Northern Ireland have confirmed that a number of bonfires lit in Derry on 15 August are being investigated as sectarian‑motivated hate crimes. Officers say the pyres included items with clear political and commemorative significance, and inquiries are under way to establish how those items came to be placed on the fires.
Police describe items found on pyres
Chief Superintendent Gillian Kearney, commander for Derry City and Strabane, said several bonfires were lit across the city and that material placed on them included a variety of symbolic objects. She said police have treated the incidents as hate crimes and are investigating ownership of the items uncovered during recent operations.
"These are being treated as sectarian‑motivated hate crimes,"
The police statement described the kinds of items that had been placed on the bonfires, and said officers were following lines of inquiry to identify how the objects came to be there.
Locations and items
Police identified three locations in the city where significant pyres were lit. Department for Infrastructure teams had already removed some materials from one site before the main evening of bonfires.
| Location | Items reported |
|---|---|
| Bligh’s Lane, Creggan | Flags, banners, clothing |
| Lecky Road, Bogside | Pallets, poppy wreaths, commemorative banner |
| Corrody Road, Top of the Hill (Waterside) | Political material, sashes, shirts |
Police said work by the Department for Infrastructure to remove pallets from beneath the Lecky flyover on 13 August had uncovered additional items, including six poppy wreaths and a World War I commemoration banner.
- Three main bonfire sites were named by police.
- Items recovered included poppy wreaths and images believed to depict a serving political figure.
- Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward as inquiries continue.
Political reaction and context
Sinn Féin publicly condemned the burning of images of the region’s First Minister that were placed on one of the fires. A senior party representative described the actions as hostile to democratic norms. The bonfires form part of annual events in nationalist parts of Derry on 15 August, which coincide with the Catholic Feast of the Assumption and the anniversary of the introduction of internment during the Troubles.
Chief Superintendent Kearney reiterated that all offences identified would be investigated. She urged anyone with information about how the items were assembled or who placed them on the pyres to contact police to assist enquiries.
Investigations continue and police say they will pursue every identified offence arising from the incidents.
