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Two or three bonfires 'of concern' to police

BBC BonfireBBC
Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said the bonfire in north Belfast had been "shifted" this year to an interface

Two or three loyalist bonfires out of about 250 are causing concern, police have said.

A bonfire at an interface in north Belfast is probably the most contentious being examined by police, according to Chief Constable Simon Byrne.

On Thursday, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly told the Policing Board the bonfire was heightening tension in the area.

Mr Byrne said senior officers would discuss options open to them.

Mr Kelly asked the chief constable for a guarantee that the bonfire, at an interface off Duncairn Gardens, would not be allowed to go ahead "at its present site at least".

He claimed there had been incidents of golf balls and petrol bombs being thrown from the site towards nearby homes and cars.

This has not been backed up by police.

The chief constable said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) continued to "work with the ministerial departments that have ownership of the land".

Mr Byrne said if the bonfire was to be moved police were there to support the contractor, not to do it themselves.

On the overall PSNI response to bonfire issues, Mr Byrne told the meeting police would seek "remedies" which were "acceptable to all communities".

'Infection levels are rising'

On the parading season, Mr Byrne said police had "good plans in place" and so far events had passed off well and without incident.

PAcemaker Simon ByrnePAcemaker
Chief Constable Simon Byrne met the Orange Order to hear their "frustrations"

In June, the Orange Order announced that Twelfth of July parades would take place in 2021, after they were called off last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The organisation encouraged members to hold localised parades in accordance with the regulations in effect at that time.

Mr Byrne said: "I, myself, met all the loyal orders last Friday to listen to some of their frustrations, it has to be said, but also ideas and concerns and I thought that was a really constructive and positive meeting, both for dealing with the here and now and also relationships going forward.

"Whilst we are still trying to wrestle with allowing people to celebrate culture or indeed another context to protest, but also mindful that there is still a pandemic and infection levels are rising."