Northern Ireland politician claims gays are “abominable and filthy”

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

A councillor for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), led by Dr Ian Paisley ha branded gays as “abominable and filthy” and to blame for Hurricane Katrina and the spread of AIDs in Africa.

Maurice Mills councillor in Ballymena, Northern Ireland claimed that Hurricane Katrina was a judgement from God: “the media failed to report that the hurricane occurred just two days prior to the annual homosexual event called the Southern Decadence Festival, which the previous year had attracted an estimated 125,000 people.

“Surely, this is a warning to nations where such wickedness is increasingly promoted and practiced. This abominable and filthy practice and sodomy has resulted in the great continent of Africa being riddled with AIDS, all at great cost to the nations and innocent children.”

Mr Mills made the controversial comments while reacting to the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA) which last week lambasted his position on homosexuality.

Gary McKeever of the Northern Ireland Rainbow Project said Mr Mill’s comments were: “stupid, irresponsible and rooted in deep-seated homophobia.”

He urged for the DUP to “clarify its position on both racism and homophobia.”