As part of Belfast Pride 2022, The Mac hosted a Drag Queen Story Time that was the subject of an hilariously pathetic protest.

Taking to social media, pound-shop Kellie-Jean Kay wannabe Jolene Bunting organised a protest for Belfast’s Drag Queen Story Time.

Never one to miss a bandwagon, Bunting jumped right on:

That post, at the time of writing, had 913 likes, but how many of those turned into real world protestors?

About 10.

Protest at Drag Queen Story Time at The Mac in Belfast, 31 July 2022 [copyright Lee Hurley]
Protest at Drag Queen Story Time at The Mac in Belfast, 31 July 2022 [copyright Lee Hurley]
Bunting, a former DUP councillor, spent her time floating around the fringes of the protest while I was there.

An unnamed woman read verses from the bible before reciting the rosary and splashing ‘holy water’ out of a plastic bottle that looked as if it had just come from the shop around the corner.

Jolene Bunting on the right
Jolene Bunting on the right

In response, The Mac provided a soundtrack, playing Baby Shark and songs from the Lion King before turning to Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’:

Bunting then posted on social media about how those who had turned up to provide a shield for the acts, as well as the parents and children coming to see the show, were in support of grooming children.

Jolene Bunting tweet that says This is our opposition. Seemingly, they are in support of the grooming of little children. 🙄 while showing LGBTQIA+ counter protestors
Jolene Bunting tweet that says This is our opposition. Seemingly, they are in support of the grooming of little children. 🙄 while showing LGBTQIA+ counter protestors

She, of course, has zero evidence for this libellous claim.

Jolene Bunting wonders where it all went wrong at her protest at Drag Queen Story Time at The Mac in Belfast, 31 July 2022 [copyright Lee Hurley]
A woman wonders where it all went wrong at Jolene Bunting’s protest at Drag Queen Story Time at The Mac in Belfast, 31 July 2022 [copyright Lee Hurley]
I debated whether or not to actually cover this event. Unlike the ones in England recently, there was no threat of violence, although the police apparently did issue a warning to one of the protestors to stop harassing parents on their way into the venue.

But the protest was so pathetic, I figured that needed to be highlighted.

If we can take some of the fear out of being LGBTQIA+ or an ally in this current climate, then that can only be a good thing.

To contrast this protest, around 80,000 people turned out the day before for Belfast Pride.

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