McGuinness launches gay pride festival

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will be in Derry today to launch this month's gay pride festival.

Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will be in Derry today to launch this month's gay pride festival.

The Free Derry Wall gets a coat of paint for the gay and lesbian Foyle Pride Festival
The Free Derry Wall gets a coat of paint for the gay and lesbian Foyle Pride Festival

Free Derry Corner has been painted pink to publicise the event, being staged in the city later this month for the first time in five years.

Organisers from the Rainbow Project want to highlight their battle for equality.

Coordinator David McCartney said: "There will be a focus on human rights and civil liberties. It will be sending out a strong message that we want equality and human rights to be respected."

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Mr McGuinness will be at Free Derry Corner in the Bogside for the press launch today. His appearance comes two months after the controversy about junior minister Ian Paisley Jnr's criticism of the gay community in Hot Pressmagazine.

Mr McGuinness criticised him after he said he was "repulsed" by homosexuals in the interview.

Foyle Pride week is being staged from August 13th to 18th as part of the Gasyard Feile.