Christian protest won’t affect Halloween parade says Derry City and Strabane District Council

It had been reported by Derry News that the festival was ‘in jeopardy’ but Derry City and Strabane District Council said that was not the case.

A group known as United Christian Witness has given noticed to the Parades Commission that it intends to hold a protest on October 31 between 6pm and 9pm while the Halloween parade takes place in the city.

It is estimated that up to 20 people will take part in the protest.

Notice of the proposed protest has been lodged with the Parades’ Commission by a group called United Christian Witness, which is seeking to mount its 20-strong protest between 6pm and 9pm, while the Hallowe’en carnival parade is in progress through the city’s main thoroughfare.

The stated purpose of the United Christian Witness protest is “to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ who is the light of the world”.

The protest will be considered by the Parades Commission on October 26 while the related parade organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council will be considered on the same date.

Both parades have been tagged as ‘sensitive’ by the Parades Commission.

It is expected that there will be 800 participants in the Halloween parade and between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators.

A spokesperson for DCSDC confirmed that it has received notification from the Parades Commission of a proposed demonstration during this year’s Halloween parade.

The spokesperson said: “We respect people’s right to protest however it has not affected plans for this year’s Halloween festival.”

The event known as ‘Derry Halloween’ began more than 35 years ago as a fancy dress party in the city’s Castle Bar.

During the last on-street Halloween celebration in 2019, Londonderry welcomed over 140,000 visitors to their city.

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, the event was online only and last year, with some restrictions in place, events extended beyond the city and attracted some 90,000 people.

This month’s parade marks the 36th anniversary of the event.