AT LEAST 7,000 people marched through Belfast city centre yesterday in an anti-racist demonstration of solidarity with ethnic minorities.

The march was organised by Northern Irish trade unions and Amnesty International and included groups from all the ethnic minorities in the six counties.

Organisers said it was designed to “reassure ethnic and religious minorities in Northern Ireland.”

The protest followed outrage caused by Belfast Evangelical preacher Pastor James McConnell, who had described the Islamic faith as satanic.

Mr McConnell was questioned by police and apologised for any distress his remarks may have unwittingly caused.

Representatives of the Muslim community and the trade unions were among those who spoke at a rally ahead of the march from Writers’ Square to Belfast City Hall.

The march was led by Belfast Lord Mayor Nicholas Mallon, Irish Council of Churches president Dr Donald Watts and Dr Mazhar Khan, a member of Northern Ireland’s Muslim community.

The event had been planned by a coalition including Amnesty International, the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities.

Patrick Yu of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities said: “The message today is quite simple — say no to racism.”

And Amnesty spokesman Patrick Corrigan said the event was “an opportunity for people to stand with their neighbours of all ethnic origins and faith groups.

“It’s also a chance to send a message to politicians that the lack of political action on this issue is no longer acceptable.”