:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EY3WT3MIAZWZZ4ZSULSUTNBUW4.jpg)
An incident in Belfast involving a man using a microphone to make remarks about members of the LGBT+ community is being treated as a hate crime, police have said.
The incident ahead of Saturday’s Belfast Pride parade was captured on video and police said footage has since emerged on social media.
PSNI Supt Christian Bradley said officers attended the scene on Royal Avenue and gathered evidence using their body-worn video.
Mr Bradley said: “Police are aware of a video circulating on social media showing a male using a public address system in the Royal Avenue area of the city on Saturday July 29 prior to the Belfast Pride Parade.
:quality(70):focal(895x570:905x580)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Z7EGD53NHNBQZMJHM24XEENXOU.jpg)
:quality(70):focal(935x405:945x415)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/IKA3EULCURGXVMSQ3HJMGDTF2M.jpg)
:quality(70):focal(4505x2795:4515x2805)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CY34JQ4LHZCYTA6IL2EPOO7ZSQ.JPG)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VLU2G7UBVFCIBJ3TXFRDA4EW3A.jpg)
“Officers were present at the scene and gathered evidence on body-worn video.
“This footage is being reviewed by investigators. The incident is being treated as a hate crime.”
Thousands of people took to the streets of Belfast as the city’s largest ever Pride parade took place on Saturday.
More than 250 different groups signed up to take part, an increase of 25 per cent on last year.
The theme for Belfast Pride 2023 was Stand By Your Trans, and the parade was led off by trans, non-binary and gender diverse people. – PA