PSNI form line between rival transgender rallies in Belfast

ireland
Psni Form Line Between Rival Transgender Rallies In Belfast
Hundreds of people gathered in the Donegall Quay area of the city centre on Sunday afternoon for the two events. Photo: PA Wire/PA Images
Share this article

By PA reporter

Protesters on both sides of the transgender debate have staged rival demonstrations in Belfast, with dozens of police officers dividing the rallies.

Hundreds of people gathered in the Donegall Quay area of the city centre on Sunday afternoon for the two events.

Advertisement

Controversial women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen, also known as Posie Parker, addressed the Let Women Speak demonstration beside the city’s “Big Fish” landmark.

Belfast women’s and trans rights protests
Trans rights protesters attended a counter rally against the Let Women Speak event in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)

Father Ted creator Graham Linehan, also a vocal critic of aspects of the trans rights movement, was among those who attended that event.

Advertisement

Nearby, several LGBT+ groups assembled for a counter rally.

More than 50 police officers formed a line between the demonstrations, as loud music was played and participants on both sides chanted and waved flags and placards.

Belfast women’s and trans rights protests
Father Ted creator Graham Linehan attended the Let Women Speak rally in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)

Advertisement

Ms Keen told the crowd at the Let Women Speak event: “I know for many of you it has taken a lot of your big girl pants to come out here, because it is really genuinely intimidating.”

John O’Doherty, director of LGBT+ support group the Rainbow Project, took part in the trans rights demonstration.

“We’re here today to ensure that every trans and non-binary person in Northern Ireland knows that they’re welcome and there is a community here waiting to embrace them and the hatred being shared by the other demonstration today is not reflective of the people in Northern Ireland,” he said.

Read More

Message submitting... Thank you for waiting.

Want us to email you top stories each lunch time?

Download our Apps
© BreakingNews.ie 2024, developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com