Firefighters Attacked, 300 Bonfires Ignite Northern Ireland Orange Order Celebrations

Firefighters faced a challenging night in Northern Ireland as they responded to around 300 bonfires lit in loyalist neighborhoods ahead of the annual Orange Order parades marking the 334th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. During these events, tens of thousands participated in celebrations across 19 main locations, with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) attending 72 bonfire-related incidents and receiving a 154% increase in emergency calls compared to the previous year. One firefighter was attacked while attending a bonfire in Lisburn but was uninjured and remained on duty; the NIFRS described this as an isolated incident. The bonfires included controversial elements such as effigies of the Irish rap group Kneecap, Irish and Palestinian flags, and effigies of migrants in a boat, which drew widespread condemnation and police investigations. The most contentious bonfire was set near an electricity substation and involved burning materials containing asbestos. These incidents illustrate the tensions surrounding the celebrations and the risks faced by emergency responders.