Thousands call to end same-sex marriage ban at Belfast Pride
Thousands of people in the streets of Belfast called for an end to Northern Ireland’s ban on same-sex marriages during the city’s pride parade.
Revellers of the parade chanted “What do we want? Equal marriage. When do we want it? Now.”
According to ITV News, the chants also referenced Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who opposes same-sex marriage. They chanted, “Arlene, Arlene hear us clear – we want equal marriage here.”
Despite this, the festival was in full swing and Belfast City Hall was illuminated in rainbow colours for the celebration last night (August 6).
Belfast City Hall will be illuminated in the colours of the rainbow tonight for @BelfastPride #Bproud2016 pic.twitter.com/gNSI9FY5uM
— Visit Belfast (@VisitBelfast) August 6, 2016
Northern Ireland remains to be the only part of the UK where it isn’t legal for same-sex couples to marry and earlier this week, an artist painted a powerful mural in protest to the ban.
Attempts to legalise same-sex marriage has failed five times and, back in April, the DUP promised to keep blocking same-sex marriage.
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