In the early hours of December 2, 2025, the Palestinian flag was raised above Belfast City Hall, marking the culmination of a contentious and emotionally charged debate that has gripped the city’s political landscape for weeks. The flag’s appearance, five hours after a narrow council vote, has sparked legal challenges, protests, and sharp divisions among political parties and communities, reflecting the deep sensitivities surrounding international conflicts and their local resonance in Northern Ireland.
The decision to fly the flag was finalized on Monday, December 1, after a special meeting of the full 60-member Belfast City Council. The chamber was filled to capacity, with every councillor present—a rare occurrence that underscored the issue’s gravity. The motion, proposed by Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy, passed by a slim margin of 32 votes to 28. Those in favor included Sinn Féin, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), the Green Party, and People Before Profit. Opposing were the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Alliance Party, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), according to BBC News NI and Belfast Live.
The original plan was to fly the Palestinian flag on Saturday, November 29, coinciding with the United Nations’ International Day of Solidarity with the People of Palestine. However, the plan was derailed after unionist councillors invoked a procedural “call-in,” citing concerns over both the process and potential community impact. This triggered a legal review and delayed the flag’s appearance, as detailed in a legal analysis published on the Belfast City Council’s website.
The legal advice, distributed to councillors and made public, stated bluntly that “the decision was not arrived at after a proper consideration of relevant facts and issues.” The report highlighted the lack of an advance screening and the need to consider City Hall’s obligations as a workplace under the Fair Employment and Treatment (NI) Order 1998. Yet, legal counsel Denise Kiley KC concluded that “the decision will not result in any long-term policy change or position on the part of the council,” and that “any impact would be minimal given the express purpose of the decision and the effect of it.” She further noted, “I do not consider that the decision has an adverse impact on the Jewish community as asserted by the requisitioners.”
Despite these findings, unionist parties remained unconvinced. TUV councillor Ron McDowell, who led the legal challenge, described the council’s move as “an attempt to outrun the law,” and announced an immediate High Court challenge scheduled for 11am on December 2. “This is an emotive issue,” McDowell told BBC News NI, adding that Monday night’s proceedings were not “democratic.” He also acknowledged reports of verbal abuse directed at Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty as he left City Hall, urging protesters to “stick to legitimate means” of protest.
For unionists, the decision represented not just a procedural misstep but a deeper affront to their sense of representation within the council. DUP leader at City Hall, Sarah Bunting, argued, “Belfast City Hall represents everyone in our city. Flying the Palestinian flag would draw us into a deeply contested international conflict and risk creating further division here at home.” In a subsequent statement, she called the move a “scandalous abuse of process,” warning, “Our small Jewish community will understandably view this as deeply intimidating and as a move that risks stoking antisemitism in our city.” DUP Alderman James Lawlor echoed these sentiments, stating, “This proposal has shredded public confidence and indeed the confidence of our community in the processes we are governed by in this council.”
The dispute over the flag was not just about symbolism; it exposed broader tensions over governance and minority rights. Unionists insisted that a “qualified” majority—more than 50 percent—was required for such a decision, rather than a simple majority. They argued that the council was now operating on “majoritarian” rule, sidelining minority concerns. The City Solicitor, Nora Largey, countered that a qualified majority would only be necessary if there was a disproportionate adverse impact on any section of the inhabitants. In a vote on whether the flag would have such an impact, 44 councillors said no, while 17 unionist members dissented.
The Alliance Party’s shifting stance added another layer of complexity. Having supported the flag in the previous month’s overwhelming vote, Alliance reversed course in the December 1 meeting, instead proposing that City Hall be illuminated in Palestinian colors in the New Year. “We don’t feel that reopening the debate on flags at City Hall is a good idea. We have an established position which polls have regularly shown to have support from the majority of the people in this city,” said Michael Long of Alliance, as reported by Belfast Live. The proposal for illumination was defeated, with only 11 votes in favor.
On the other side, Sinn Féin and its allies framed the flag as an act of solidarity with the people of Gaza. “In light of the continued genocide against the people of Gaza, it is right that we show solidarity and support to them,” said Ryan Murphy, emphasizing the symbolic nature of the gesture. Deputy Lord Mayor Paul Doherty, who was verbally abused by protesters after the vote, remained steadfast: “They confronted me and threw a lot of slurs at me but the bottom line is I’m very proud to stand with the people of Palestine.”
The outcome was ultimately decided by the crucial votes of Michael Collins from People Before Profit and independent councillor Paul McCusker, who both sided with the flag-flying proposal, securing the narrow four-vote majority. After the meeting, Sinn Féin insisted that the flag should be raised at midnight, despite the earlier delays. “In our view it was unduly delayed. It should have happened on Saturday,” Murphy said.
As the flag was finally hoisted over City Hall, small groups of both supporters and opponents gathered outside, watched over by police on foot and in vehicles. Some protesters pinned union flags and an Israeli flag to the railings, while others cheered the move. The scene was a microcosm of Belfast’s enduring divisions, where global events can quickly become local flashpoints.
The legal challenge by TUV is expected to proceed, and the debate over the council’s decision-making process is far from settled. Yet for one day, the Palestinian flag’s presence above City Hall stands as a testament to both the power and the perils of symbolic politics in a city where history and identity remain deeply contested.