Mal O'Hara, Green Party Leader said "This is a welcome decision by Belfast Pride. LGBTQ+ people have been betrayed and gaslit by the executive parties for too long. An lgbtq+ strategy has been promised since 2007 but never delivered. The most recent Programme for Government fails to mention lgbtq+ inequality beyond a vague commitment to bringing forward 'social strategies'. Funding for our life saving lgbtq+ organisations has been piecemeal and ad hoc rather than strategic and focused. Almost all progress on lgbtq+ equality has come from Westminster or the Courts. The final straw was the announcement of the puberty blocker ban via tweet, which removes healthcare from trans and non-binary young people meanwhile the Executive have done precious little on the crises of trans healthcare." 

Mal continued "Pride started as a riot. It is our biggest public event to demonstrate for liberation, equality and celebration.  If the Executive Parties make progress on trans healthcare, fund our sector organisations, stands up to backlash and bring forward a strategy, then I will be the first to advocate welcoming these parties back." 

Mal finished by saying "Pride is not a photo opportunity for political parties who have had power for 27 years and not used that power to make the lives of lgbtq+ people better."