Christian persecution debate erupts into bitter clash at Belfast City Hall

Belfast City Hall

A debate intended to highlight the persecution and killing of Christians around the world descended into a bitter political clash at Belfast City Hall this week, as councillors traded accusations over Northern Ireland’s own troubled past.

A DUP motion focused specifically on the persecution of Christians — including thousands of reported killings in Nigeria — was ultimately replaced by a Sinn Féin amendment broadening Belfast City Council’s position to condemn persecution and hatred affecting people of all religions, those with no religious belief, minority ethnic communities and LGBT+ people.

The amendment passed by 36 votes to 17, with unionist councillors voting against it and other parties and independents supporting it.

The DUP argued that broadening the motion “diluted” its intended focus on persecuted Christians, while Sinn Féin councillors used the debate to raise the Holy Cross school dispute and the history of Ulster Resistance.

Millions facing persecution

The original motion, proposed by DUP Alderman Dean McCullough, cited the Open Doors World Watch List 2026, which reports that more than 388 million Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution and discrimination because of their faith.

Open Doors reports that 4,849 Christians were killed during the World Watch List 2026 reporting period because of their Christian identity, including 3,490 in Nigeria.

The figures are supported by the organisation’s published 2026 report. The European Parliament also adopted a resolution in July concerning the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, particularly following the Kawel village massacre.

The DUP motion stated:

“Belfast City Council notes with profound concern that more than 388 million Christians around the world face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.

“[It] notes the findings of the Open Doors World Watch List 2026, including that 4,849 Christians were killed worldwide during the reporting period because of their Christian identity, of whom 3,490 were killed in Nigeria.

“The council expresses particular concern at the extreme levels of violence, persecution and displacement faced by Christians in Nigeria and recognises that these events will also be of particular concern to members of Belfast’s Christian and Nigerian communities, including those with family and community connections to Nigeria.”

It called on the council to formally condemn “the persecution, discrimination and violence faced by Christians around the world”, write to the UK Government to press the Nigerian Government for action to protect Christians, and raise awareness of Christian persecution through council social media channels.

A representative of Open Doors UK and Ireland also addressed councillors on the issue at the beginning of the meeting.

Amendment broadens council position

Sinn Féin proposed an amendment which retained an acknowledgement that Christians face persecution but broadened the council’s declaration to encompass freedom of religion or belief more generally.

It stated:

“The council acknowledges that Christians continue to experience persecution and discrimination in many parts of the world. It equally recognises the persecution faced by people from other religious traditions, as well as those targeted because they hold no religious belief.

“The council unequivocally supports freedom of religion or belief for everyone, wherever they may be.”

The amended motion also expressed concern about hate crime and hate incidents in Northern Ireland, particularly those directed towards minority ethnic communities, religious communities and members of the LGBT+ community.

It added that the council “unequivocally condemns all forms of racism, sectarianism, religious intolerance, homophobia and other identity-based hatred”, concluding: “An attack on any community is an attack on the values of equality, dignity and mutual respect.”

The amendment was supported by 36 councillors, with 17 voting against.

DUP: ‘The amendment doesn’t strengthen the motion, it dilutes it’

Alderman McCullough rejected the suggestion that a specific motion concerning Christian persecution should be expanded.

He said:

“I have no difficulty, none whatsoever, in condemning persecution, hatred or discrimination against anyone. If members wish to bring motions on those issues, they are perfectly entitled to do so.

“But this motion is about the persecuted church. Christians being imprisoned, displaced and killed because of their faith. The amendment doesn’t strengthen the motion, it dilutes it.

“And the public will quite rightly ask, why? Why can this council not have one motion, in a city built on the unshakeable foundations of Christianity, about the persecuted Church?

“What this amendment exposes is Sinn Féin’s unwillingness to let this council speak clearly and unequivocally for persecuted Christians. I can’t say I am surprised, Sinn Féin have gone so far left we can barely even see them.”

Alderman McCullough said the seriousness of the situation in Nigeria was being increasingly recognised internationally.

Holy Cross raised during debate

The debate then turned sharply towards Northern Ireland’s past.

Sinn Féin Councillor Ciaran Beattie, who proposed the amendment, referred to the Holy Cross dispute in north Belfast, 25 years after the events of 2001.

He told councillors:

“This city knows the story of the persecution of Christians. I don’t know if the DUP are aware of the history of this city, but if you go back 25 years ago, a primary school in North Belfast, Holy Cross had Christian children being attacked going to school.

“They had urine thrown at them, bottles thrown at them, stones, bricks and pipe bombs thrown at them. Where were the unionist politicians? Out with the protestors. They did not protect the young Christian children who were going to school.”

Councillor Beattie also raised the formation of Ulster Resistance in 1986 and its links to figures within unionism.

He said:

“And to go back even further, November 10 will be the fortieth anniversary of an organisation in a council-owned building not too far from here. In the Ulster Hall, the leaders of the DUP stood with red berets, while others wore military uniforms, on the stage.

“Some of those went around the world to obtain weapons to give to loyalist groups, some were given to the UVF, some to the UDA, and they were used to slaughter Christians in this city.”

The Holy Cross dispute involved loyalist protesters blocking the route used by pupils and parents travelling to Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School in Ardoyne. The highly contentious protest became one of the most internationally recognised images of Northern Ireland’s post-Good Friday Agreement sectarian tensions.

Accusations of ‘hypocrisy’

Sinn Féin Councillor Ronan McLaughlin, who seconded the amendment, accused the DUP of inconsistency over international issues being debated by the council.

He said:

“I see a tinge of hypocrisy from the DUP benches in relation to this motion. I don’t know how many times we have talked about international issues in this chamber, and have been told [by the DUP] that it is just student union politics.”

Alliance Councillor Michael Long supported broadening the council’s position.

He said:

“If we are looking at religious persecution, it is absolutely vital that we look at all religious persecution.”

Councillor Long also recognised the work carried out by organisations including Open Doors, before strongly criticising a reference during the debate to US President Donald Trump.

He said:

“In terms of the comments about people supporting Christians, to bring up the name of Donald Trump, somebody who is the antithesis of Christianity, and who is an utter disgrace – I would not be taking his advice on that particular issue.”

DUP responds over IRA violence

DUP Alderman James Lawlor responded to Sinn Féin’s historical criticism by raising republican violence during the Troubles.

He accused Sinn Féin councillors of “hypocrisy” in their presentation of Northern Ireland’s history.

Alderman Lawlor said:

“It was the party opposite that said there was no alternative to the Provisional IRA going into Gospel Halls across Northern Ireland and inflicting maximum damage on the Protestant population within those halls.”

TUV Councillor Ron McDowell, meanwhile, defended the right of councillors to bring forward motions dealing specifically with one persecuted group.

He said:

“There is nothing wrong with a motion highlighting a particular plight of a particular people. To suggest on this occasion that we can’t do it on this occasion, and that we have to broaden it out across the spectrum is grossly unfair.”

He added that Belfast City Council had “a history of promoting single issue causes”.

The result means Belfast City Council has adopted the broader amended position supporting freedom of religion or belief for everyone and condemning a range of religious and identity-based hatred, rather than the DUP’s original motion specifically focused on Christian persecution.

The underlying issue which prompted the debate remains stark: Open Doors’ 2026 assessment says more than 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination worldwide, with Nigeria accounting for more than seven in every ten Christians the organisation recorded as killed for their faith during the reporting period.