Thousands march for equal marriage rights in Northern Ireland

Thousands of people marched through the centre of Belfast on Saturday calling for equal marriage rights for the LGBT community.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where same sex couples cannot get married, while the Republic voted gay marriage into law two years ago.

There have been five separate votes on the issue in Stormont, the last of which in 2015 saw the assembly narrowly vote in favour of gay marriage equality.

But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has vetoed any law change, arguing that they are protecting the "traditional" definition of marriage.

Campaigners have received messages of support ahead of the march from Northern Irish actor Liam Neeson, broadcaster Graham Norton and Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody.

"For once in our country this is not about religion, this is about human rights," actress Bronagh Waugh from The Fall and Hollyoaks told Paste BN as she marched to Belfast City Hall.

"I'm standing here in solidarity with my brothers and sisters from the LGBT community. This is what the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland want."

The marchers were joined on the route by gay couples from the Republic who travelled to show their support.

Ironically, a return to direct rule from Westminster could remove the DUP's power to veto the law change and bring about gay marriage equality in Northern Ireland once and for all.

Power-sharing talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein look unlikely to reach a deal by a deadline set on Monday.

Marriage equality is one of the issues preventing the two parties from agreeing the deal.