Police called to pride week row

The police were called to the row outside the City Hotel

A confrontation between anti-gay protestors and supporters of Londonderry's Gay Pride Week had to be broken up by police on Monday night.

It happened at the launch of the festival at the City Hotel.

About 30 Christian protestors, including a Free Presbyterian minister, gathered outside the venue.

Two gay rights activists attempted to stand in front of the protestors' banners with a placard of their own, before police moved them on.

Reverend Ian Brown said it had been a minor incident.

"It was not violence and we would oppose all violence against any persons," he said.

"Often the homosexual movement will fly the flag of 'you lot are intolerant and you hide behind the Bible' ... could there be anything more intolerant than the clear victimisation of Iris Robinson tonight through these posters?"

But one of the women who was moved by police said they were being harassed.

"These guys are allowed to come out and say whatever they want to say and we can't stand in front of them with a banner?" she said.

"We're being harassed. The police are actually asking us to move out of the way but these people are still allowed to stand here with their terrible banners.

"Where's the justice?"