'It can never be justified' - Muslim community's pain at burning of mosque model

A mosque replica set alight on a bonfire, just weeks after people fled their homes during race riots, has been described as "a very painful moment for Muslims".

The model was placed on top of the bonfire in Moygashel, County Tyrone, on Wednesday and lit on Thursday evening.

Business owners, community and religious organisations as well as several people who have made Northern Ireland their home have been sharing their concerns.

There are further fears that after three summers of riots, that Islamophobia in Northern Ireland is getting worse.

Dr Umar Al-Qadri said the bonfire effigy had caused "a very painful moment" for Muslims across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, he said: "For us this isn't a political statement, for us, it's a message of exclusion, and intimidation, that you do not belong here, you do not belong in Northern Ireland.

"People have the right to celebrate their traditions and have their bonfires, but I think when you put flags, when you put pictures of political leadership, when you put mosques on top of these bonfires, it's not a tradition anymore, it's basically hate, it's intimidation.

"This is not culture anymore. This goes beyond that."

He added that he feels supported by the police and other church leaders.

"As a Muslim community, we know that the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland are very welcoming and very kind," he said, but added that these types of incidents are rising.

Nora Rashwan, who owns a Lebanese restaurant in Belfast city centre said that burning a replica of a Mosque was a "red line".

In a social media post, she said there was deep concern felt by many Muslims across Northern Ireland at any threats or acts aimed at burning or attacking the mosque during the bonfire celebrations.

Such actions are "completely unacceptable and can never be justified", she said.

She told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme that racism has been a problem in the past, is a problem now, and she doesn't know what will happen next.

She said people need to be safe and added that until now, she hadn't seen racism face to face, only online.

Those behind the bonfire and representatives of the loyalist community have said the display was about disagreeing with ideology and government policy.

In a statement, Moygashel Bonfire Association said the display might "shock, offend or outrage", but said those involved in making it were exercising their right to freedom of expression.

It said the replica of the mosque did not target any individual, adding: "Our opposition is not to people, but rather to ideology and government policy."

Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, who was present when the Moygashel bonfire was set alight on Thursday night, told BBC News NI that nobody in the unionist or loyalist community "should be targeting anybody".

"I want to reassure the Muslim people that this is not about them as people. People disagree with their ideology, with their viewpoint, but it's not about them," he said.

Wasif Naeem from the Belfast Islamic Centre said people in the community were upset and offended.

"They are essentially targeting the whole community. We don't stand for violence," he said.

"We are a peaceful community."

He added that there are concerns of Islamophobia after three summers of riots in Northern Ireland, he said "it is getting worse and worse".

Mohamaed Afnan said that "most people are very nice".

"There are certain people who don't like certain religions but that is part of life."

Billy added that "it should not be happening".

"We are a peaceful community trying to live out here trying to practice our faith there is nothing wrong with that."

Huzzi added: "What happened last night I've never seen before. It's quite scary."

Dr Naomi Green from the Muslim Council of Britain described the burning of the effigy as feeling like "groundhog day".

"This isn't an isolated incident, it's just yet another thing in a string of things that have happened," she said, adding: "It just makes me sad."

She said she feels "we are better than this" in Northern Ireland, but: "We continuously face this to the point where we're living in this hamster wheel, where it keeps happening, happening, happening over again, and it has to stop.

"Muslim communities [and] minority communities are not the priority in Northern Ireland."

Green called on the executive office and political parties to take measures on dealing with the issue.

"Why has there not been leadership on this from the top, from the people who are in power, instead of leaving it all to a policing decision," she said.

"It's time for action instead of statement," she said, but feels like "there is no political will to handle this."