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Belfast City Council has approved a motion to fly the Palestinian flag above City Hall, passing the proposal submitted by Sinn Féin with a narrow margin of 32 votes to 28. Originally scheduled to be raised on a Saturday, the flag was not flown due to legal advice received by the council. The initial decision to display the flag had been overwhelmingly supported the previous month, but faced opposition from unionist members who subsequently challenged its legitimacy using the council’s call-in procedure.
Following a special council meeting, arrangements have been made for the Palestinian flag to be hoisted later on Monday. The legal opinion published by Belfast City Council highlighted that the original decision lacked “proper consideration of relevant facts and issues.” Despite this, unionist opposition remains strong. Ron McDowell, a councillor from the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), stated, “Emergency High Court proceedings will be lodged tonight, with an urgent hearing sought before midnight to put a stop to this.”
At the Monday session, the 60-member council revisited the flag issue, resulting in a tighter vote than the initial motion. The Alliance Party, which previously supported the flag flying, proposed instead to illuminate City Hall in Palestinian colours in the New Year. While they voted against raising the flag, support came from Sinn Féin, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), and the Green Party. The exact timing of when the flag will finally be displayed remains unclear.
Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy, who put forward the original flag-flying plan, emphasized the importance of the gesture, saying it aligns with the United Nations’ international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. Murphy remarked, “In light of the continued genocide against the people of Gaza, it is right that we show solidarity and support to them.” On the other side, Sarah Bunting, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) at City Hall, defended unionist concerns, stating, “Belfast City Hall represents everyone in our city. Flying the Palestinian flag would draw us into a deeply contested international conflict and risk creating further division here at home.” She further condemned the decision as “a scandalous abuse of process” and expressed concern that the Jewish community in Belfast might see the move as intimidating and a risk for increased antisemitism in the city.
The debate surrounding this issue has caused significant tension, with about 30 protesters gathering outside City Hall on Monday evening. Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty, who supported the flag flying, was verbally abused by some of these protesters. He described the group as a “mob” and stated, “They confronted me and threw a lot of slurs at me but the bottom line is I’m very proud to stand with the people of Palestine.” Doherty was among the 32 councillors who voted in favor of the Palestinian flag being flown
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