The decision of Scouts Northern Ireland to support the Belfast Pride parade has been slammed by The Christian Institute.
The Institute’s James Kennedy described the charity’s call for cubs, scouts and leaders to march at an event billed as a protest against the Province’s ban on puberty blockers for gender-confused children as “deeply concerning”.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service did not apply to take part in this year’s parade, while uniformed officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have not been allowed to march at the pro-LGBT event since 2023.
Political protest
Ahead of the parade, Scouts NI announced that all involved in the movement were “welcome to represent us and attend” as a way “of demonstrating our commitment” to ‘inclusivity’.
Mr Kennedy said: “This year, the organisers of Belfast Pride decided it would be a protest against the legal ban on so-called puberty blockers.
“The organisers also outlined other contentious political ambitions for the march, including support for a ‘conversion therapy’ law and opposition to the Supreme Court’s ruling on biological sex.”
He added: “It is deeply concerning that Scouts NI chose to participate in what was so evidently a political protest. Did it inform parents that children as young as eight were being invited to join a contentious political rally?”
Call to arms
Activists behind London Trans+ Pride 2025 have claimed that tens of thousands joined its demonstration on Saturday.
An event organiser complained that there had been an “explosion against trans+ rights in the last five years, from puberty-blocker bans to the Supreme Court’s contested ruling in April”.
One placard at the event stated: “Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday; except top surgery”. Another read: “DIY or Die. Trans emancipation. Not rainbow capitalism. Arm trans people.”
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