Belfast stands for life, opposing proposed City Hall lights celebrating abortion

The pro-life cause unites all Christians, Bernadette Smyth, Chairwoman of Precious Life, told The Irish Catholic following a Rosary Vigil for Life in front of Belfast City Hall on August 30, when hundreds gathered in prayer in response to Belfast City Council’s plans to illuminate the City Hall in celebration of abortion.

The City Hall is to be lit up in green on September 20, and Mrs Smyth said she is “not overly confident” that they won’t do it. She remarked that the politicians involved are “showing their true colours” by doing so.

Mrs Smyth believes the pro-life movement unites all Christian faiths in NI. Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, she said, “this is the one thing that unites us”. Surprisingly, the chairwoman noted, in NI the pro-life movement doesn’t often receive support from the Nationalist parties with Catholic roots but instead sees more support from the Unionists. “We have the support of the Unionists,” Mrs Smyth said. On this matter, she has been in contact with Dean McCullough, a representative of the Democratic Unionist Party.

For her, the City Hall doesn’t belong to politicians, but to Belfast people, and it should represent the views of all, including the pro-life movement. “Belfast City Hall belongs to the people and the city of Belfast,” she said.

Mrs Smyth and Precious Life are calling on Belfast City Councillors to reject “this deeply offensive proposal”. They said that the City Hall “is not a billboard for abortion,” and that it should “never be used to celebrate the destruction of innocent human life.”

The organisation sent an open letter to Belfast City Council expressing their opposition to the proposal and saying that the City Hall, being a civic landmark, should represent all views and “be a symbol that unites the city.” Other pro-life/Christian organisations also signed the letter in support. Mrs Smyth spoke with Belfast City Councillors on Tuesday, September 1 and presented the open letters.

Another letter, proposing a Day of Remembrance on October 22 and to illuminate Belfast City Hall in red, “in remembrance of the thousands of unborn children who have lost their lives through abortion across the United Kingdom and Ireland”, was also sent to the Lord Mayor and members of Belfast City Council.