A Dublin pastor has said he is hopeful a cancelled Christian march that was expected to bring thousands to Belfast can be rescheduled.
The ‘March for Jesus’ event was planned for Saturday afternoon, with organisers predicting around 10,000 people from multiple denominations would attend, but was called of this week on health and safety grounds.
A similar event had attracted huge crowds in Dublin last year, with another rally planned for September.
John Ahern from All Nations Church in Dublin told the Irish News he apologised for the inconvenience and that it was not correct to blame the PSNI for the decision.
“After consulting with the authorities, it seemed like the only option. We did try very hard to make it happen,” he said.
“Our preparation was lacking in terms of the various permits and permissions that are necessary for Belfast, which is probably more complicated than other cities which is understandable given how contentious parades can be.
“But safety is paramount and I do understand these are large numbers of people and I take responsibility for it myself.”
Pastor Ahern said he hoped the event could be rescheduled for later in the summer or next year.
“I think it’s a significant step to extending a hand across the border, there’s different traditions and two flags but there’s one church.”
“Praying for peace is important, especially in these dark times to offer people hope.
“I do sense in a way that some of these old hates are starting to rise up again and I think the church is part of a way into bringing people together.”
“The thing with the March for Jesus though is that it’s a non-political thing. If you put a slant on it that can lead to division.”
Asked if the marches were a reaction to an increasingly secular society, he said: “Personally I think we’ve reached peak secularity.
“Our church is in the heart of Dublin and we’re seeing hundreds of people joining, particularly young men.”
He added: “I know the term march is a very loaded word in Belfast and quite contentious for some people.
“But it’s more a parade than a march in that sense. People just walk and at the end we have a stage for prayers.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police worked alongside partners including Belfast City Council and Department for Communities to support organisers with the safe delivery of their event. Any cancellation of this event was not a decision made by police.”