Alliance lambastes anti-gay group

12.00.00am GMT Fri 6th Aug 2004

ALLIANCE Spokesperson for Equality, Eileen Bell MLA, has lambasted an anti-gay group that has threatened disruption of this weekend's gay pride march in Belfast.

Responding to the group's website that inexplicably provides links to several of Northern Ireland's political parties, Eileen Bell MLA said:

"On behalf of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, I would like to completely disassociate ourselves from this sinister web site that is intolerant of the free expressions of lesbian and gay people.

"Indeed, the Alliance Party is proud of the fact that the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alliance Councillor Tom Ekin, last Saturday hosted a civic dinner for Belfast Pride. Tom Ekin has also chaired Belfast City Council's Good Relations Steering Panel, which sets out to respect all minorities in the community.

"Alliance has constantly spoken out against homophobia in our society.

"Alliance has welcomed the introduction of hate crime laws in Northern Ireland, which includes harsher sentences for those convicted for crimes motivated by homophobia. In fact, it was due to constant pressure from Alliance representatives over several years to get this legislation introduced here.

"Sadly, homophobia remains a major characteristic of Northern Ireland society. It reflects a deeply ingrained negative attitude and expresses itself as a form of prejudice. The Alliance Party remains committed to confronting and dismantling such discrimination in Northern Ireland."

ENDS

NOTES

The original news story was published by UK.GAY.COM: http://uk.gay.com/headlines/6653

The website address of the anti-gay group in discussion is: http://www.belfastpride.org; this is not to be confused with the official website of Belfast Pride, which is: http://www.belfastpride.com