Belfast is a city of love - you will not divide us

Text of speech given by Patrick Corrigan at the anti-Islamophobia solidarity rally in front of Belfast City Hall, Saturday 3 August 2024

Dr Martin Luther King Jr spoke of the Beloved Community, his aspiration for a community in which everyone is cared for, a community which celebrates their diversity and where people truly love their neighbours as they love themselves.

Today, I see Dr King’s Beloved Community.

It’s standing right in front of me here in Belfast.

A community standing in solidarity and love.

From Belfast, we send our love and our support and compassion to all those affected by the awful tragedy in Southport, to the families and friends of the girls who so tragically lost their lives in the most terrible circumstances and to the children and adults who were injured and are still in hospital.

Some people have sought to cynically exploit that unspeakable tragedy in order to sow division and hatred.

But those who seek to divide us do not know us. They do not know us at all.

To the hate-mongers, I have a message for you today from the people of Belfast and from every community across these islands. The more you try to divide us, the more united we grow.

The more you try to destroy us, the stronger we become.

The more you try to force us apart, the more we come together.

The more hate you try to stoke, the more love we will show to our neighbours.

Whether it be xenophobic bigots in Britain or racist agitators on this side of the Irish Sea who ape their tactics and wave flags while they torch tents and community centres, not out of love for country but in hatred of others, we say: it is you and your message of hate which are not welcome.

We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community, the refugee community and with every community which is reeling from attack or feeling the fear of threat and intimidation.

Together we must build a world in which every person can enjoy all of their human rights, free from hatred and discrimination.

Hate will never divide us.

Hate will never win.

Belfast is a city of love. We stand as one.