Belfast Pride's 2025 theme strikes defiant note

The parade made its way through the city centre

Belfast Pride struck a defiant note as it held its annual parade in the city on Saturday.

Pride's 2025 theme was "Not Going Back", which organisers said was chosen because they believe "LGBTQIA+ rights are under attack, here and across the world".

Stormont's four executive parties, Sinn Féin, DUP, Alliance and UUP, were told by Pride organisers they were not welcome at the parade because of their support for a ban on puberty blockers for under-18s.

The parade started at Custom House Square at 13:00 BST and made its way through the city centre before finishing at Victoria Street.

Organisers said they hoped the parade showed the trans community that they were supported and that Belfast Pride stood for all.

Around 12,000 people took part in the parade while thousands more watched as it made its way through Belfast city centre.

There was plenty of colour and music as the parade made its way to city hall.

A counter protest was held by church groups at city hall, but police kept protesters separated from the main parade.

The wider Pride festival has been running since 19 July and finishes on Sunday.

The festival's co-chairpersons, Neil Millar-McDonagh and Lynn Millar, said the "Not Going Back" theme sent a clear message.

"As we celebrate how far we've come, we stand firm in our commitment to keep moving forward - towards love, equality and justice for everyone in our LGBTQIA+ community," they said.

Political controversy

Sinn Féin has taken part in Pride in the past

First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she was sad her party was not permitted to march in Belfast Pride because of the puberty blockers ban.

The Sinn Féin deputy leader said she would still celebrate Pride "in my own way".

Stormont's Agriculture Minister and Alliance MLA, Andrew Muir, who is gay, took part in Belfast Pride in a "personal capacity".

The majority of Pride parades across Northern Ireland took a similar decision and asked the executive parties not to attend.

Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said it would not be participating in Belfast Pride 2025 in an official organisational capacity.

It said its staff are welcome to attend voluntarily as part of the HSC (Health & Social Care) LGBT Staff Forum, but not in uniform.

The BBC's Nolan Show understands that HSC bodies received legal counsel that they should not be seen to be participating in a protest against departmental policy.

Organiser Lynn Millar said "Pride has always been a protest"

Co-chair of the festival, Lynn Millar said that the rights of the transgender community were "under threat" as a result of the ban.

Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme, she defended the decision to exclude executive parties from taking part in the parade.

"We're acting on what our trans community wanted us to do," Ms Millar said.

"Pride has always been a protest. It started out as riots - we're not going back to that.

"We celebrate Pride as well, but there will always be a political element when it comes to human rights and I'm not going to apologise for that."

SDLP leader and MP, Claire Hanna, said it was "really important" for the party to be at Pride

SDLP party leader Claire Hanna said it was "really important" for the party to be at Pride to "celebrate diversity" and "celebrate LGBT people".

She told BBC News NI that the decision not to allow other parties to be represented in the parade was a "decision for Belfast Pride".

"It's important to us to be here, people come as individuals, people come as a political party but we had a great team out on the street and we were delighted to take part," Hanna said.

"Belfast Pride made their decision based on the political stance of other political parties, the SDLP has marched today in Pride as we have done for the past two decades and we're thrilled to be here."

Rebecca Fitzpatrick, Amy Hobbs and Nicole Hobbs enjoyed the festivities

Rebecca Fitzpatrick goes to the Pride parade every year to "show support for the community".

"I just always love it," she said.

Nicole Hobbs thinks this year's theme is important.

She said Pride is "really important because I just think everything should be progressive".

Amy Hobbs attended Pride for the first time and said it was "bigger" than expected.

"I really like it. It's busy. It's good. It's colourful," Amy added.