Thousands attended yesterday's Gay Pride event in Belfast where DUP MP Iris Robinson, who is the wife of the first minister, was mocked.

She 'appeared' at the event in the guise of masks carried by Pride participants.

More than 4,000 people turned out despite poor weather conditions. Thousands more watched the parade.

A float titled the 'Iris Mobile' joined the procession along the Belfast streets with a giant papier-mâché image of Mrs Robinson.

Last week, she was reported to the police after she compared homosexuality to child abuse.

She told a House of Commons committee: "There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children.

"There must be sufficient confidence that the community has the best possible protection against such perverts."

She previously said that gays could be turned straight with psychiatric help.

PA MagLochlainn, president of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association, told The Observer that it was due to Mrs Robinson that so many people attended the march:

"She has done us a favour because it has forced a lot of people to face up to the fact that homophobia still exists in Northern Ireland.

"'Look how many have turned up today. The numbers are up because people want to show solidarity. She has helped the cause."

The Alliance Party's Gerry Lynch, who called for her to resign as chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly Health Committee, told the Press Association: "The silent majority have spoken loud and clear here today by attending in such huge numbers to support this parade.

"The majority of people want Northern Ireland to be a tolerant and equal society and not a society caught in a 17th century time warp."

The Free Presbyterian church publish an advertisement yesterday entitled "Word Of God Against Sodomy", reiterating its view that homosexuality was an abomination in the eyes of God. They held a number of small protests but there were no disturbances.

Parade organiser Andy Thompson told the Press Association: "In terms of being in a position at the heart of government in Northern Ireland, she must go."

Just days ago, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell caused controversy after declaring that Unionist hero King William of Orange was gay.

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • August 3, 2008

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XOX-Becca-OXO

By Tony Grew • August 8, 2008

An actor who plays a bisexual character in a TV soap for teenagers has spoken out against an MP at the centre of a homophobia row.

Gerard McCarthy, who is from Belfast, accused Iris Robinson of "helping to destroy lives."

The DUP MP, who is married to the First Minister of Northern Ireland, has been criticised for speaking out against gay people.

During a BBC Radio Ulster interview in June the MP for Strangford offered to introduce gay men to a "Christian psychiatrist" who could make them heterosexual.

She has refused to modify her position that homosexuality is vile, wicked and an abomination, based on her Biblical beliefs.

During a June 17th House of Commons committee discussion on the assessment and management of sex offenders, Mrs Robinson said:

"There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality, than sexually abusing innocent children."

She claims that she meant that child abuse is worse than homosexuality.

Mr McCarthy, who plays Kris Fisher in Hollyoaks, told the Belfast Telegraph that he regularly receives letters from teenagers who are being bullied because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans.

"There should be no place for hateful and extremist opinion," he said.

"Moreover, to have a Member of Parliament advocate them must certainly be in violation of the MPs' code of conduct.

"The wife of the First Minister should be forced to resign, made to give a formal apology and retract her comments in order to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and equally under the law."

Mr McCarthy told the Telegraph he backs gay equality organisation Stonewall's Education for All campaign, which fights homophobic bullying in schools.

"An estimated 2,725 young people call ChildLine each year because they are the victims of homophobic bullying and violence. Of these, 60% are children between the ages of 12 and 15," he said.

Mr McCarthy's comments about Mrs Robinson echo those of Northern Ireland's only health project for gay and bisexual men.

Last month Rainbow Project said her comments were not only "beyond contempt" but will expose the gay community in Northern Ireland to continued "violence, abuse and harassment."

"Political and religious leaders have publicly condemned the blatant homophobia and spoken about the levels of crime and harassment that the gay community faces here," the group said.

"The thugs that perpetrate hate will readily lap up whatever encouragement that they can find.

"It does not take much to inspire the misguided to violence; and the hatred spouted by some will add more fuel to the fires of prejudice and bigotry.

"Mrs Robinson is playing with people's lives; we hope and pray that the end result is not more prejudice, blighted lives or even bloodshed."

The Strangford MP was mocked at last weekend's Belfast Pride.

A float titled the 'Iris Mobile' joined the procession along the city's streets with a giant papier-mâché image of Mrs Robinson and a sign saying "Wicked Witch of the North."

She has been reported to the police by Andrew Muir, the vice chair of Gay and Lesbian across Down.

He said that Mrs Robinson has contravened the Article 9 of the Public Order (NI) Order 1987 by using threatening, abusive or insulting words which have the likelihood to stir up hatred and arouse fear.

"It is with great regret that I have felt it necessary to make another police statement concerning the MP for Strangford," he told PinkNews.co.uk.

"Freedom of speech is important but people must respect rather than abuse this human right.

"I feel threatened, abused, insulted and fearful because Mrs Robinson compared homosexuality to child abuse which is illegal and, I believe, grossly offensive and fundamentally wrong.

"History is littered with examples of how people accused of child abuse have been treated by others.

"Only recently was an Edinburgh resident kicked unconscious because his attackers wrongly thought he was a paedophile.

"The father-of-two lost two pints of blood after a brutal attack by a gang of thugs.

"To align homosexuality with child abuse is both reprehensible and extremely
dangerous."

Mrs Robinson's DUP colleagues have backed her, saying she is entitled to express her religious beliefs.

A party spokesman told the Belfast Telegraph:

"The DUP is committed to equality and fairness for all of our people. Our record shows that we are working to bring the maximum benefit of devolved government to everyone in Northern Ireland regardless of their background. Mrs Robinson was expressing her religious convictions."

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8644.html

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XOX-Becca-OXO