Twelfth: 57 potential offences reported at bonfires

Police have received reports of 57 potential offences that took place at bonfires over the Twelfth period.

The reports include effigies, hate slogans and the theft and destruction of political material.

It comes after effigies of Naomi Long, Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald were hung from a County Antrim bonfire.

Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said police had secured evidence and commenced enquiries for each incident.

"The vast majority of people celebrate their culture peacefully and lawfully and do not want cultural celebrations to be undermined by anti-social behaviour, criminal activity or hate directed towards others," he said.

He also urged those with further information to come forward.

Bonfires are lit in some unionist areas on 11 July each year as part of Battle of the Boyne commemorations.

Last month, effigies of female politicians on a Carrickfergus bonfire received widespread condemnation across the political spectrum.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson described them as "unjustifiable" and "indefensible".

He called on those responsible to "desist", and said that "political protest" should not be mixed with cultural appropriation.

"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," he told BBC News NI.

"At the same time it is offensive to others and I think even threatening to others."

Alliance leader Naomi Long said the effigies demonstrated "pure unadulterated sectarian bigotry".

"It made me sad and depressed that there are people in our community that harbour such vile hatred of anyone else," she told BBC News NI.

She also said that it was hard to describe the "sheer vileness and hatred" behind the displays.