Crowds gather outside Belfast City Hall to call for unity

'The more you try to divide us, the more united we grow. The more hate you try to stoke, the more love we will show to our neighbours' - Patrick Corrigan

The Unity Over Division rally, organised by a coalition of organisations, was held this morning at Belfast City Hall in response to attacks on Muslim communities in England and planned Islamophobic protests in Belfast following a knife attack in Southport, Merseyside in which three girls were killed and more injured.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Director and one of the speakers, said:

“From Belfast, we send 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.

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

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

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