Parade route and protest times confirmed
The Newry Pride parade will go ahead on Saturday, setting off from Newry Leisure Centre at 1pm and taking in Monaghan Street, Merchants Quay and Sugar Island before finishing at Marcus Square, Hill Street, where a planned Party in the Square will run throughout the day.
In a separate application to the Parades Commission, the United Gospel Witness Group sought permission to hold an open-air protest in Newry to coincide with the parade. No conditions were attached to the group's parade-related protest by the commission. The group has said it intends to occupy Hill Street from 11.30am to 3pm.
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| United Gospel Witness protest | 11:30am–3:00pm | Hill Street / Marcus Square |
| Newry Pride parade start | 1:00pm | Newry Leisure Centre (route to Marcus Square) |
Messages from organisers and protesters
Newry Pride organisers emphasised a celebratory and inclusive response to the planned protest. Cara Finegan, speaking on behalf of Newry Pride, said the event's theme this year is "Bolder, Brighter, United", and urged participants to remain "celebratory, unashamed and confident in our togetherness." She called on attendees to refuse retaliation and to focus on visible self-expression and inclusion of marginalised communities.
"Our best response is to remain celebratory, unashamed and confident in our togetherness. We all must refuse retaliation, and ignore hostility and hatred and instead show the importance of Love."
The United Gospel Witness Group set out the reasoning for their presence in Newry, saying they will be on Hill Street to "share the Christian Gospel" and to state their opposition to public celebrations they consider contrary to their interpretation of Scripture. A member of the group, Ross Holmes, said their presence was not motivated by hatred and stressed that Christians should treat every person with dignity, while also calling for repentance from what they described as sin.
"Our presence is not motivated by hatred or hostility towards individuals. As Christians, we believe that every person is made in the image of God and should therefore be treated with dignity."
Local context and recent activity
The United Gospel Witness Group held a similar event last Saturday at Lurgan Pride, according to the group's statement. The planned Newry appearance comes amid a wider backdrop of public debates in Northern Ireland about the rights of LGBTQ+ communities, freedom of expression and the balance between prayerful protest and public celebration.
For Newry residents and visitors, the immediate practical points are the parade route and the presence of two lawful, concurrent assemblies in the same city centre area. The Parades Commission's decision to place no conditions on the protest means both events are expected to proceed within the terms approved by the commission.
What to expect on the day
- Newry Pride parade departs Newry Leisure Centre at 1pm and arrives at Marcus Square where festivities will continue throughout the day.
- The United Gospel Witness Group plans to be in Hill Street from 11.30am to 3pm to carry out an open-air demonstration.
- Organisers of Newry Pride have asked participants to celebrate openly and to avoid confrontation, while the protest group says it will present Christian teaching and intends to treat people with dignity.
Police and organisers have not issued additional operational details in the available briefing. Residents planning to attend either the parade or the protest should expect crowds in the city centre and may wish to allow extra time for travel. Community leaders on both sides have emphasised lawful conduct; how the day unfolds will depend on the behaviour of participants and on any operational decisions by the authorities on the ground.
