Belfast Christmas Market to remain open amid threats from protesters to ‘block gates’

Protesters gathered at City Hall on Monday night after a Council decision to fly the Palestine flag

Belfast Christmas Market is set to remain open as usual amid threats from protesters to “block gates” and “close the market.” It comes as crowds protest against Belfast City Council’s decision to fly the Palestine flag at City Hall on Tuesday, December 2, following a vote of 32 votes to 28 for the move.

The flag was due to be flown last month after a vote to mark the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people. However, this didn’t happen after the council received legal advice following a unionist move to initiate a call-in mechanism for the proposal to be reconsidered. Monday evening’s special meeting was called to vote on the decision again.

During protests on Monday night after the council meeting, a post on social media claimed the Christmas Market would be “cancelled” on Tuesday as “all gates will be blocked” at Belfast City Hall.

READ MORE: 7 key things you need to know as Palestine flag flown at Belfast City HallREAD MORE: Armed police stationed at Belfast City Hall after Palestine flag raised amid ‘chaos’

In a statement issued to Belfast Live, a spokesperson for Belfast Christmas Market said it would “remain open to the public today as usual.” The management team of the market are staying in close contact with the PSNI.

The spokesperson said: “The safety and security of visitors, traders, and staff is of paramount importance and we remain committed to ensuring that the market provides a safe and welcoming environment for all who wish to enjoy its festive offerings.

“Our management team are maintaining close contact with the Police Service of Northern Ireland and should it be required, we will implement any measures deemed necessary in accordance with their professional advice.”

Police were in attendance at Belfast City Hall on Monday night into Tuesday morning as protesters gathered after the Council meeting, with eyewitnesses describing the scene as “chaos.”

Unionists expressed anger after the outcome of the vote was revealed, with the TUV warning of emergency legal proceedings in an attempt to prevent the flag from being raised.

In a statement released on Monday evening, a spokesperson for Sinn Fein said: “Sinn Fein has secured agreement for the Palestinian flag to fly tomorrow at Belfast City Hall. In the face of Israel’s barbaric and inhumane genocide, we must continue to do all we can to show solidarity with the besieged people of Gaza.”

However, DUP group leader on the council, Sarah Bunting, criticised the move as a “scandalous abuse of process”. She stated: “This is a deeply divisive issue in Belfast, yet Sinn Fein and those who backed this move have shown no regard for the views of others and have simply railroaded their position through.

“Our small Jewish community will understandably view this as deeply intimidating and as a move that risks stoking antisemitism in our city. It is dangerous, it is cynical, and it must be called out for what it is.

“For decades, Sinn Fein has sought to marginalise and silence those who disagreed with them. If they believe unionists will simply accept this kind of heavy-handed, intolerant behaviour today, they are badly mistaken.”

TUV Councillor Ron McDowell also expressed his disapproval, stating that the council had “disgraced itself”. He added: “The days of unionists quietly accepting such cavalier disregard for their rights – or watching the small Jewish community in our city being trampled upon – are over. My position remains clear and unchanged: the only flag that should fly from City Hall is the national flag of the United Kingdom.

“But if members of council truly cared about human rights in the Middle East, they would recall that in the aftermath of the October 7 massacres (Hamas attacks in Israel in 2023), the nationalist and republican alliance in Belfast blocked any effort to light City Hall in the colours of the Israeli flag.

“Everyone can see the hypocrisy. It is nauseating and it must – and will – be called out. Every means at our disposal will be deployed to oppose this.”

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