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Belfast Pride Parade Petitioning

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  • 27-07-2005 2:35pm
    #1
    Health Project
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭


    Hi,

    If you decide to respond to the following request, it is imperative that
    you do so today, as the determination about the parade will be made
    tomorrow.

    The basis for the difficulty around this year's Belfast Pride Parade is
    that the 'Stop The Parade Coalition' - an amalgam of various shades of
    Christian fundamentalism - by campaigning against, denouncing, and
    opposing the parade, has resulted in the parade being designated
    "contentious" by the PSNI. As such, the Pride Parade is thereby subsumed
    into the same legal arena as the Drumcree march, the Apprentice Boy's
    Parade in Derry, and all the other marches in Northern Ireland that incite
    sectarian tensions and require legal adjudication. It is an astute
    political move by the 'Stop The Parade Coalition' since, unable to drum up
    sufficient public support to oppose the parade in previous years, they
    have now found a legal means whereby an extremist religious minority can
    impinge upon others' right to freedom of assembly. An adjudication in the
    'Stop The Parade Coalition's' favour would be seen as an endorsement of
    these bullying tactics, and, consequently, set a dangerous and problematic
    precedent for the future.

    What follows is a brief extract from the Belfast Pride Parade's website,
    and the address to which e-mails in support of the Belfast Pride Parade
    should be sent.

    Paul Madden

    Paul Madden (Outreach Worker & Trainer)
    Southern Gay Men's Health Project
    8 South Main St.
    Cork
    Ireland

    Phone: + 353 21 4278470 / 1
    Fax: + 353 21 4278745

    HELPLINE: (021) 4271087

    www.gayhealthproject.com - The most comprehensive Gay/Bisexual men's site
    in Ireland.

    The Southern Gay Men's Health Project provides information, support, and
    education on issues relating to sexual health and sexuality. Our services
    include, one-to-one counselling, support, drop-in, prevention advice,
    outreach, helpline, referral service, addiction services, and support and
    self-awareness groups.

    Office Hours: 9.00am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday



    The Annual Belfast Pride Parade

    There has been much media attention over the past number of weeks
    regarding this year's Belfast Pride Parade.

    This is because some Christian groups have objected to a Pride Parade
    taking place through the City Centre on the grounds that they disapprove
    of our "sinful and immoral lifestyle". As such, the Parades' Commission
    will make a determination on the Pride Parade on 28th July because the
    police have deemed the parade as being "contentious".

    You can show your support for Belfast Pride by emailing your views to the
    Parades' Commission directly.

    If you decide to email the Parades' Commission, please remember that you
    are emailing an official adjudicating body and NOT the people who want to
    ban our parade. So please be polite, courteous and sensible. If you do the
    opposite, you will be supporting the cause of the anti-gay Christian
    groups in their attempts to stop our parade.

    The e-mail address of the Parades' Commission is:
    info@paradescommission.com


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Health Project
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭Health Project


    Parades Commission are making their decision today (Thursday).
    Send it to info@paradescommission.com


  • Options
    #3
    Health Project
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭Health Project


    Last Updated: Thursday, 28 July 2005, 15:02 GMT 16:02 UK


    Gay Pride parade given go-ahead


    The parade has taken place in Belfast for 14 years
    A Gay Pride march due to take place in Belfast will take place as planned, the Parades Commission has ruled.
    The march, scheduled for 6 August, has been held in the city centre for the past 14 years.

    The police passed the matter on to the commission for consideration after some Christian groups called for the parade to be banned.

    However, Amnesty International said the march should be given the go-ahead.

    "Prejudice against people based on their sexuality is, sadly, all too common in Northern Ireland and around the world," said Amnesty International's NI Programme Director Patrick Corrigan.

    "Politicians, church leaders and ordinary people all have an obligation to stand up against such prejudice and stand in solidarity with gay people here and worldwide who face persecution and violence.


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