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Belfast City Council apologises for calling pro-choice group dissident republicans

Belfast City Council has apologised after an email mistook a pro-choice group for dissident republicans
Belfast City Council has apologised after an email mistook a pro-choice group for dissident republicans Belfast City Council has apologised after an email mistook a pro-choice group for dissident republicans

BELFAST City Council has apologised after it mistakenly described the organisers of a pro-choice rally as a dissident republican group.

A staff member emailed councillors to inform them a dissident group planned to protest at City Hall on Wednesday evening as a member of the PSNI spoke at a cyber safety event.

Dissident group Saoradh had said they would hold a protest but no picket actually happened. However loyalists who had planned to mount a counter-protest did show up and waved Union flags outside the hall.

Strike4Choice, which wants the north's abortion laws to be relaxed, held a protest against strict abortion legislation at the gates of City Hall at noon on Wednesday.

However in the email sent to councillors, Saoradh and Strike4Choice were linked.

The email about the cyber safety event said: "A PSNI officer will be one of the main speakers at this event and this has resulted in dissident republican groups (Strike for Choice and Saoradh) notifying their intention to protest at Belfast City Hall".

The council has since apologised to Strike4Choice.

A spokesman said: "Belfast City Council unreservedly apologises to Strike4Choice for any offence caused by this error".