THE burning of effigies of politicians, including the Prime Minister, at the Lewes Bonfire celebrations has sparked outrage.

Angry internet users vented their disgust on social media after giant models of Theresa May and Tory MPs Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg were torched on Monday night.

They even went as far as to call the act a hate crime – and called for Sussex Police to arrest the organisers of the event.

They claimed it was as bad as the burning of a model of Grenfell Tower this week, an act which caused widespread outrage. Five people have been arrested over it.

Twitter user Andrew Bransby called on Home Secretary Sajid Javid to condemn the Lewes Bonfire display and said those responsible should be treated the same as those who burned a model of Grenfell Tower.

He said: “Can you please offer the same outrage towards those in Lewes who burned effigies of Theresa May and Boris Johnson and ensure they are brought to the exact same justice.”

Another Twitter user said: “I hope you get arrested.

“Just as bad as those who burned the Grenfell Tower mock-up.”

Peter Davies posted on Twitter: “It certainly is causing me alarm, burning a woman in effigy seems to tick the box for a hate crime.”

Mary Greenway labelled the images “obscene” while another Twitter user told the Metropolitan Police: “This is a hate crime by a despicable human being.”

Another Twitter user posted: “Burning an effigy will offend someone somewhere –these people are sick but that doesn’t mean they should be arrested.”

Eleanor Ann Care wrote: “Each act of effigy burning is a ‘hate crime’.”

Twitter user Andrew H said: “Following the arrest of five people for burning an effigy of Grenfell Tower, should the organisers of Lewes Bonfire be arrested for burning effigies of two people?”

Another who called himself Mr Jones posted: “Hopefully the local police are investigating. Sussex Police can you update the public on any arrests please?”

Despite the number of vocal Twitter users calling for arrests online, Sussex Police said no one had actually reported the burning of the effigies as a hate crime.

In a statement, a spokesman said: “We have not received any reports of this nature but will investigate any reports we do receive.”

Mick Symes, 68, spokesman for the Lewes Borough Bonfire Society, said: “We create tableaux and there’s a difference between a tableau and an effigy.

“Guy Fawkes was an effigy but a tableau is a talking point.

“It can represent the good and the great, the bad and the evil, and can be about local or national issues.

“Anybody who thinks they are a hate crime needs to go back down the rabbit hole which they came from.”