Women's organisation in legal challenge to Féile event cancellation
BBCA women's organisation has started legal proceedings after Féile an Phobail cancelled an event it was due to hold.
After the event was cancelled, Women's Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI), which describes itself as "putting the sex based needs of women and girls first" said Féile had "chosen to silence the voices of the very group that makes up half the population".
On Friday, WRN NI met Féile an Phobail representatives but said a "satisfactory resolution" had not been found and that it had "no choice" but to take legal action.
Féile an Phobail said it would continue to promote events "which provide balance and inclusivity".
Papers submitted by WRN NI to the High Court in Belfast stated the cancellation was "wrongful, null and void".
The event, titled Respect, Rights and Reality, was due to be held on 4 August.
In a statement on Friday evening, WRN NI's solicitor Ciaran O'Hare said the organisation was seeking a court order requiring Féile to honour a "contractual agreement".
"Our client maintains that Féile accepted the event proposal, allocated a venue and time, confirmed the logistical arrangements, and published the event as part of its official programme before subsequently withdrawing it," O'Hare said.
Earlier this week, Féile an Phobail said it had informed WRN NI that it was withdrawing the event, with WRN NI subsequently saying it was "shocked".
A range of speakers were to take part, including Fiona McAnena from the Sex Matters organisation.
Sex Matters was founded by Maya Forstater, who lost her job after saying that people cannot change their biological sex.
She was later awarded compensation by an employment tribunal which ruled that Forstater experienced "direct discrimination" related to her beliefs.
Féile an Phobail, also known as the West Belfast Festival, is Ireland's biggest community arts festival and has been running for nearly 40 years.
It is due to run from 25 July until 9 August.
In a statement on social media after Friday's meeting, Féile an Phobail said there had been no resolution.
"Féile an Phobail was extremely disappointed that legal representatives for the Women's Rights Network filed legal papers with the court before our meeting with the Women's Rights Network had concluded," the statement said.
It said it stood by its decision to cancel the event.
WRN NI previously told BBC News NI it had made clear to Féile that the event was to be a "discussion on women's sex-based rights".
It said Féile's decision had followed "an organised online campaign against the event".
"That campaign included misogynistic, abusive and, in our view, threatening rhetoric directed at women associated with it," WRN NI said.
"Féile describes itself as a festival of the people, of ideas, culture and debate.
"We therefore have to ask whether its commitment to free speech extends only to viewpoints with which it agrees and only to some people."
