Belfast Pride 2023: Thousands take part in parade

The Pride parade weaved its way through the city centre

Thousands of people were on the streets of Belfast on Saturday for the city's 2023 Pride parade.

The parade is the main event in the city's LGBTQ+ calendar - this year's theme is Stand by Your Trans.

Organisers said it was a "protest and a celebration, a call for equality, a stand for solidarity and a celebration of the lives of LGBTQIA+ people".

This year, more than 250 groups and agencies signed up to take part - up 25% from 2022, according to organisers.

Kirsty Mulholland, co-chairperson of Belfast Pride, said the event had grown year on year

Kirsty Mulholland, co-chairperson of Belfast Pride, said: "Today is an opportunity to embrace and celebrate the wonderful diversity of Belfast and to show that our city is a city for all.

"The ever-growing support for Belfast Pride and the inclusion of the diverse groups and communities from across Northern Ireland shows the important role Belfast Pride plays in making Belfast the city we all know and love.

"We have an amazing day of entertainment for all the family including our live concert full of local performers in Custom House Square, our Pride Village with children's entertainment, and our annual pride market."

Belfast Pride website cited police figures that showed a 24% increase in the number of transphobic hate crimes in Northern Ireland.

This year's parade featured about 250 different groups and agencies

Another co-chairperson of the event, John O'Doherty, said the Belfast Pride festival was "unapologetically trans inclusive".

"For over 50 years the international pride movement has fought to increase visibility, awareness, and support for LGBTQIA+ people while challenging hatred and intolerance in all its guises," he said.

"Across the UK media and wider social media, we have seen an exponential increase in transphobia as well as homophobia, biphobia and sexism directed towards trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people and those who support them.

"The moral panic being expressed by those who oppose the rights and inclusion of trans, non-binary and gender diverse people and the presentation of LGBTQIA+ as dangerous, is nothing more than recycled homophobia from the past."

Liam and Chris Charlton-Killen travelled from Crossgar for the parade

Liam and Chris Charlton-Killen from Crossgar in County Down said they attended pride to show "solidarity with the trans community".

"We are here for our trans siblings," said Liam.

Gillian from Saintfield is a regular at Pride

Gillian from Saintfield in County Down comes to the parade every year.

"It's a great day out - everyone is here and the atmosphere is fantastic," she told BBC News NI.

Elaine and Ronnie from Bangor said she loved seeing the different floats

Elaine and Ronnie came from Bangor on the train.

"It's great to see the sun out. The atmosphere is great - it's a family day and it's just good fun," said Elaine.

"I love seeing the colours, all the personalities on the floats in the parade - it's the sheer fun element."

This year, more than 250 groups and agencies signed up to take part in the parade - up 25% from 2022

Ulster Rugby and the Ulster Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) were among the sports organisations to send official delegations for the first time in 2022.

But Ulster Rugby has been excluded from this year's event because of the organisers' opposition to a ban on transgender women playing in female contact rugby games.

The 2022 parade was led by a group of asylum seekers and refugees.

• What is Belfast Pride all about?

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has been policing the event for more than 20 years and first sent uniformed officers to march in Belfast Pride in 2017.

However, police officers attending this year's Pride march were not allowed to do so in uniform.

Some people saw their attendance as an official endorsement of gay rights campaign issues.

But the decision by the force not to allow its officers to parade in uniform was met with criticism by others.