South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

First Republican Mayor

6th June 2002 was a historic date for Belfast when councillor elected Alex Maskey as the first ever Republican Mayor of the City. Alex had endured years of sectarian abuse from fellow councillors and assassination attempts by unionist death squads.

As Mayor Alex promised to work for all of the people of Belfast.

In pledging to represent all of the people of the city Alex endeavoured to give ethnic minorities a voice in Local Government.

Anti-racism was a constant theme during Alex's term as Mayor.


Alex pledged to work with all sections of the community and matched his words with actions.

Ensuring that Unionist rights would be respected as well as the rights of Republicans Alex took the unprecedented step of laying a wreath in memory of all of those who died during World War I.