The civil service in Northern Ireland (NICS) has chosen not to participate in Pride celebrations this year and has banned its staff from marching as an official block or under the NICS banner.

Staff were informed by internal communication that “in the current legal and case law context, the NICS is not in a position to participate in Pride 2026 events this year in an official capacity, where colleagues would be identifiable as representing the organisation.”

Belfast Pride organisers have released a statement highlighting the importance of civil service representation at Pride, saying: “Seeing civil servants marching openly has long sent a powerful message to the entire community: that our public institutions are spaces where diversity is celebrated, and where LGBTQIA+ staff are safe, visible, and supported.”

Other organisations have also criticised the decision of NICS, stating that withdrawing from Pride does not align with the service’s claimed stance of neutrality. Scott Cuthbertson, CEO of The Rainbow Project, said, “Neutrality is recognising and working to undo the historic and contemporary inequality facing LGBTQIA+ staff and citizens. The alternative, the path now chosen by the civil service, is to allow that inequality to remain unchallenged.”

The statements emphasise how the support of human rights should be a key part of public service, and not deemed too political a stance. Earlier this month, Northern Irish Pride organisations announced the decision not to accept applications from political parties in the Northern Irish Executive and not permit any party branding or political endorsements at Pride in 2026.

This decision is due to the parties continuing to fail the LGBTQ+ community regarding policy, rights, equality, and healthcare. Political parties were urged to earn their place at Pride by showing commitment to LGBTQ+ rights with their actions and policy. Andrew Muir, an openly gay minister at Stormont, has expressed his feelings on the decision by the NICS, saying he is “very disappointed”.

Stormont’s four main executive parties were told they were not welcome at Belfast Pride last year, 2025, after they approved an indefinite ban on puberty blockers. The theme was ‘Not Going Back’, stressing the roll-back of hard-fought-for rights, and a stance against anti-trans rhetoric.

Alexa Moore of The Rainbow Project said, “There has been significant effort expended in recent years to politicise and make controversial all LGBTQIA+ people, identities, expressions, and lives, using the anti-trans moral panic as a basis to curtail broader LGBTQIA+ rights. Specific work has been done to portray this community, its organisations and its celebrations as ‘ideological’ in nature, rather than as ordinary people fighting for equality and recognition within a world which is not built to support them.”

The Rainbow Project is also urging the head of the Civil Service, Jane Brady, the Minister for Finance John O’Dowd, and all relevant decision-makers to reverse the decision, and commit to being brave and supporting all of their LGBTQ+ staff and citizens.

The Belfast Pride parade is due to take place on July 25, 2026, and staff of the civil service have been encouraged by organisers to attend in a personal capacity. The theme for this year is ‘Love in Every Colour’.

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