Transgender-related protesters divided by police in Belfast

A Let Women Speak rally was held in Belfast on Sunday afternoon

Police have been keeping two opposing groups apart at separate transgender-related events in Belfast city centre.

Hundreds of people have attended the events near Donegall Quay.

A Let Women Speak rally was addressed by Kellie-Jay Keen who is known for her opposition to some transgender rights.

A counter-event by local LGBTQ+ groups and activists opposed to her views assembled nearby. A big police presence remained at the scene until both groups dispersed.

Hundreds of people attended a counter-protest near Donegall Quay

Around the same time, at Writers' Square in another part of the city, organisers held an event to show support for "transgender, non-binary and other gender creative people".

Police said all the events passed off peacefully with no arrests.

Speaking to BBC NI regarding the counter-event, Ms Keen said: "I think it's saying that women coming out to speak is quite an intimidating thing and people will go to great lengths to stop us talking, which is insane in 2023. "

Women's rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen pictured during a Let Women Speak rally in Belfast

One of those in attendance at the Let Women Speak event was Margaret McMinn who said she wanted to raise awareness about issues around women's spaces.

"There's just this huge assumption that womanhood can just be given up," she said.

"I appreciate my right to women's spaces, women's facilities, same sex care - that if I ask to see a female doctor or an intimate care that that is upheld and at the minute it's not necessarily so."

Marianne Stewart said she hoped the Let Women Speak event would make polticians listen

Also at the same event was Marianne Stewart who said the rally was an attempt to get "politicians to listen".

"We have reached out to many of them. Some of them have listened to us but not heeded us and others just refuse point blank - they call us despicable," she said.

A counter-protest was held at the same time in the city centre

At the counter-protest, Sam said that members of the transgender community "just want to exist freely".

"It's really important to be visible as a trans person and to celebrate that and to show that we're not something to be afraid of," Sam added.

Ben said that it was important to raise awareness that transgender people are not infringing on the rights of others.

"Transgender people are not any harm, any risk to women's rights, trans rights do not lessen the rights of anyone else."

Caleb said that the transgender community is "unassuming"

Caleb said that many people do not have transgender people in their lives or are just unaware of those who are transgender.

"We're everywhere; we're brothers, we're sons - the people you see down the shop, the people you see on the street. You just don't really know it - and that's just kind of how unassuming of a community we are," said Caleb.