Pride in London is London’s annual LGBT festival, the five largest in the world – but the biggest in terms of festivals and events. Over 1 million view the parade of around 50,000 people, which winds itself through the centre of London.
The centrepiece to Pride in London is its mainstage which attracts over 10,000 people in Trafalgar Square, which is its capacity for this type of event
Pride In London may be in for a bit of trouble this weekend over taking money from sponsors such as United Airlines.
The Pride event could find itself in the headlines once again after the protest group, Just Stop Oil published a list of demands on Twitter, insisting that they may take action if the demands are not addressed.
Taking to Twitter Just Stop Oil made 3 demands of Pride In London. The group said that if they were not met, “we may or may not take action at this weekend’s events”.
Just For Oil also suggested that the Climate Crisis was the biggest threat to LGBT+ rights, due to social collapse.
The letter to Pride has apparently been penned by LGBTQ+ members of Just Stop Oil.
Pride In London have yet to respond to the letter.
Pride In London’s sponsors for 2023 include Tesco, WeWork, Netflix, Coca-Cola, Transport For London, Playstation, OpenReach, intuit QuickBooks, IHG Hotels and Resorts, Durex and Cisco.
The dates for Pride In London have been announced by the organisers and it’s in a completely new month. Normally Pride In London takes place in the middle of the summer around the end of June or the beginning of July.
However, Pride In London 2021 will take place in early September, to help create a lengthy gap between when the government hopes large scale events can start again, on the 21st June and its own event, the biggest Pride Parade in the UK.
New date for Pride In London 2021
Today Pride In London confirmed that the new date for London’s very own pride would be the 11th September 2021.
Following the UK Government’s recently announced timetable for easing of lockdown restrictions, Pride in London – the UK’s largest Pride event – will be returning to the capital on the weekend of 11th September 2021.
Michael Salter-Church MBE and Alison Camps, Co-Chairs of Pride in London, said, “We’re delighted to announce that Pride in London will take place on the weekend of the 11th September. Now we have the roadmap from the Government, we’re working closely with the Mayor’s office, Westminster City Council and other key bodies in London to finalise what our plans will look like. We’ll be announcing further details of the event, including what format it will take and how to participate or volunteer, in due course. We will continue to monitor and adhere to the necessary health guidance.
“Naturally we can’t wait to bring all of our wonderful communities together again and stand with them to champion LGBT+ rights across the capital and beyond. In addition to the plans for September, we’re working on a way to appropriately mark Pride’s traditional anniversary in the summer.
“In the meantime, our communities have their final chance today to complete our short consultation survey and let us know what they’d like to see from Pride in London this year.”
Pride In London has been postponed but a new date will be announced “in due course”.
Organisers of Pride In London, the UK’s biggest Pride celebration has been postponed, due to the fears around the spread of Covid-19.
A statement from the pride’s two co-chairs, Alison Camps and Michael Salter-Church said, “It’s been a tough decision to postpone the Pride in London Parade and events, but the health and safety of our communities is our top priority. With the climate changing daily, we need to think even further ahead and make timely decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of our communities, volunteers and participants”.
Other outliner events have also been postponed including, “Pride Festival, Pride’s Got Talent, Pride in the City, Pride Boxing, the Pride 10K and all other upcoming events”.
They added, “We fully appreciate the pressures and effects that the current situation is having on all of our communities. Allyship is needed more than ever, so we ask everyone to continue to be kind, loving and generous. Our priority now will be to look closely at how we can support and bring communities together over the coming months”.
Pride in London is calling on the UK’s government to help safeguard LGBT+ rights in Poland, where over 100 Polish municipal or local governments have announced that they are “free from LGBTI ideology”.
The UK’s largest Pride is calling on the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Rabb MP, to intervene directly to safeguard LGBT+ rights.
Pride in London has expressed serious concerns at the ongoing situation where over 100 Polish municipal or local governments have announced that they are “free from LGBTI ideology”.
The situation faced by the country’s LGBT+ community has worsened since 2019 when a number of Prides were faced with being banned or had large counter-demonstrations from far-right and nationalist groups.
The organisation has written to the Foreign Secretary urging him to raise the LGBT+ rights violations in Poland with the Polish Government’s UK Ambassador, Arkady Rzegocki, as a matter of urgency.
Alongside this, Pride in London has made a donation to support LGBT+ activists and communities in Poland through the European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) Emergency Fund.
Michael Salter-Church MBE, Co-Chair of Pride in London, said,
“50 years on from brave activists taking a stand at Stonewall, the appalling situation in Poland clearly shows that the fight isn’t over. Whilst we remain focused on furthering LGBT+ rights in the UK, we mustn’t forget those abroad who need our support. We must take a stand for our community in countries where their fundamental human rights are not being upheld.
“This emergency fund will help our siblings in Poland continue their vital work towards equality, and we urge members of the LGBT+ community to donate however they can. Beyond this, we must also continue to speak out in order to raise awareness of these shocking events – we have already seen how international attention can often disrupt the violent plans of Poland’s far-right nationalists.”
Alongside other Pride organisations across Europe, Pride in London is supporting the work led by EPOA and in January developed an Action Plan with Polish counterparts aimed at strengthening ties with LGBT+ communities in Poland and providing strategic and operational advice.
Pride in London remains committed to standing up for LGBT+ communities around the world where their fundamental human rights are not being upheld.
Peter Tatchell, one of the UK’s most famous LGBT+ rights advocates has said that pride, needs a “major rethink” and for it to “get back to what pride was originally about”.
The stalwart rights campaigner then put forth a four-point plan, which included returning the parade back to a political march, getting rid of corporate branding and banning motorised floats.
The plan, he suggested should be trialled for one year.
In a statement, Tatchell wrote
“As a Patron of Pride and one of the organisers of the UK’s first Pride in 1972,
“I have attended every parade since then – 47 in all.
“I believe a major rethink is needed. We need to get back to what Pride was originally about. “
Four ways to take pride back
Peter Tatchell Foundation
The Pride parade should become a march for LGBT+ rights
As a political march, this would mean no charges being imposed by Westminster Council, the Metropolitan Police and the Greater London Authority, saving around £60,000 in fees to Westminster Council alone.
Pride should be open to all
There should be no restriction on the number of people who can march and no requirement to get a wristband.
Oppressive institutions should be excluded from Pride sponsorship & the parade
This includes weapons manufacturers, tobacco and fossil fuel companies and the Home Office until it stops incarcerating, banning employment and deporting LGBT+ refugees. Individuals from these institutions should still be welcome in the parade but without any corporate branding.
Ban motorised floats, except for disability vehicles
Having vehicles in the parade allows Westminster Council to slap onerous charges on Pride and contributes to the carbon emissions that fuel climate destruction.
Tatchell added, “I am proposing that these ideas be trialled for one-year in 2020. If they work, Pride can keep them permanently. If not, Pride can ditch them and try something new”.
Pride In London is one of the biggest prides in the country, which regularly sees over a million people watch and take part in the huge parade.
“The Pride parade can and should remain true to its founding ideals”
CREDIT: (C) Joffe Walters
Tatchell reiterated what Pride was all about saying,
“The founding principles of the LGBT+ Pride parade in 1972 were: LGBT+ visibility, the celebration of LGBT+ life and culture and the demand for LGBT+ liberation, including the abolition of discriminatory laws and reform of anti-LGBT+ institutions. It was open to all who supported these core principles.
“The Pride parade can and should remain true to its founding ideals.
“Pride must be by and for the LGBT+ community – not city authorities or corporate funders. Their support is welcome but it must not dictate”.
Pride operates on the terms of Westminster Council, the police and Sadiq Khan
Highlighting some of the constraints that Pride In London faces, Tatchell revealed,
“The Mayor of London, Westminster council and the Metropolitan Police now hold the whip-hand. The Pride parade operates on their terms – not ours.
“We must reject any cap on numbers in the parade. It goes against the ethos of Pride which was, until recent years, open to all. In 1997, there were over 100,000 people in the parade and 300,000 at the post-parade festival on Clapham Common. Numbers are not everything but they should not be artificially restricted.
What is Peter’s vision for Pride?
“Revert to a political carnival parade for LGBT rights, like the first one in 1972. If it is a political march there would be no fees payable to the police, council etc.
“Political marches are not charged. The anti-austerity and anti-Brexit marches were not subject to any of the draconian costs and restrictions on numbers that have been imposed on Pride.
“Pride can be political and still have a colourful, joyous carnival atmosphere, as in 1972 and 1997.
“To cut parade costs, motorised floats should be axed and replaced by other options, such as hand-pulled non-motorised floats – mounted on flatbeds on wheels – as some groups had in 1997.
“These were smaller in size than the gigantic bus and truck floats of recent years but still fabulous and more diverse and imaginative eg the OutRage! giant papier-mache head of Tony Blair in Pride 1998. The Thames Festival parade is awesome but has no motorised floats. I remember a huge dragon held aloft by dozens of parade participants using tall poles. It was very effective and dramatic; proving that motorised floats are not the only way to have a spectacular carnival parade.
“My congratulations and thanks to the Pride organisers, the Community Advisory Board and all the volunteers who make Pride in London possible. Pride’s online consultation seeking LGBT+ input regarding the future of the parade was commendable. I salute you,” said Peter Tatchell.
Pride in London joins 17-24-30 NationalHCAW to mark 20 years since Admiral Duncan bombing
On 30th April 1999 a nail bomb attack at the Admiral Duncan pub in Soho killed three people and wounded 79
Soho attack followed two other nail bombings in Brixton on 17th April and Brick Lane on 24th April as part of a homophobic, racist terror campaign
Soho Act of Remembrance marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks will take place at 5pm on Tuesday 30th April outside the Admiral Duncan
Pride in London is joining anti-hate charity 17-24-30 NationalHCAW (National Hate Crime Awareness Week) this Tuesday (30th April) to mark the 20th anniversary of the London nail bombings and remember those killed during the attacks: Nik Moore, Andrea Dykes and John Light.
An Act of Remembrance marking 20 years since the attacks is planned for Tuesday evening, starting outside the Admiral Duncan and then moving round to St Anne’s Gardens on Wardour Street. The latter part will feature speeches from: Rev Simon Buckley, St Anne’s Church; Mark Healey, Founder 17-24-30 NationalHCAW and Cllr Ian Adams, Westminster Council – as well as three poems read by Trudy Howson, LGBT Poet Laureate; Terry Morely, Nik Moore’s aunt and Natalie Patterson, Andrea Dyke’s sister, and performances by the London Gay Men’s Chorus, the Pink Singers and Diversity Choir.
The bombing in Soho followed two connected attacks in other parts of the capital: Brixton on 17th April and Brick Lane on 24th April. Though there were no fatalities, 61 people were injured by the blasts. These attacks were racially-motivated and targeted the black community in south London and the Bangladeshi Muslim community in the East End. Smaller acts of remembrance took place in both locations on the respective dates as part of 17-24-30 NationalHCAW’s April Acts of Remembrance.
Mark Healey, Founder of 17-24-30 NationalHCAW, said, “It’s hugely important that our communities come together to mark the anniversaries of these horrendous events. We have a duty to remember those we lost, to show our ongoing support to those affected by these attacks, and most importantly to educate the next generation to make sure these kinds of attacks never happen again.
“We’re good at dealing with the immediate aftermath of these kinds of attacks but more needs to be done to deal with their longer-term impact on our communities. Some of the survivors and the families affected by these attacks are still suffering and need more support. I hope our April Acts of Remembrance inspire people to get involved, to build stronger links between all our communities and ensure there is no place for hate amongst us.”
The Soho Act of Remembrance will take place at 5pm on Tuesday 30th April outside the Admiral Duncan on Old Compton Street, Soho. So the organisers can gauge how many people will attend, please register here if you plan to join the act of remembrance.
A 49-year-old man has been left with life-changing injuries after being attacked hours after Pride in London on the 8th July He was struck in the back, the impact from which broke his spine.
He was walking along Greek Street at around 1:30 AM on Sunday morning towards Tottenham Court Road, where he planned to catch a bus home.
He also had his mobile phone stolen.
The victim was able to make his way to Stratford Underground Station where he was given medical treatment by officers before being taken to the hospital. He was found to have suffered a broken back and continues to receive treatment.
Details from the Metropolitan Police suggest that “offensive language heard by the victim shortly before the assault” so it is being treated as a hate crime.
Detectives have carried out extensive CCTV enquiries to identify the suspect(s).
They would like to hear anyone who witnessed the assault which happened following Pride in London. The area would have been busy at the time. Officers would also like to speak with anyone who helped him off the tube at Stratford.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Community Safety Unit at Westminster via 101.
Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.
Over the weekend, Pride In London’s parade was interrupted by a protest group, Get The L Out. Who are they and what do they stand for?
Get The L Out is a fringe lesbian and feminist protest group which previously called for transgender people to be removed from the LGBT acronym. The petition was ultimately unsuccessful and now they are petitioning to have the “L” removed from LGBT+. The petition was signed by just 310 people. They say that lesbians are being “silenced and threatened” and claim that all women and girls are “at risk” and their interests are taking a backseat to the transgender community.
Over the weekend around eight to ten women stopped the Pride In London march and lay on the ground after being asked by organisers to move on. When they wouldn’t organisers decided to allow the group to march but at the front, well ahead of the official starting line of the parade, leaving enough gap as to ensure that the group would not be legitimised by walking behind the rainbow flag.
The group also makes the claim that publications slur lesbians by using the word “terf” and “cis”.
Terf stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist. Cisgendered people are those whose outward gender expression matches the sex they were assigned at birth by their parents and medical professions.
Anti-trans?
The protest was strongly condemned by Pride In London who said that the group had shown “a level of bigotry, ignorance and hate that is unacceptable”. They also said that the group was not a registered parade group. The statement also went on to say that Pride In London “reject what this group stands for. They do not share our values, which are about inclusion and respect and support for the most marginalised parts of our community”.
GTLO says that they,”believe that lesbian rights are under attack by the trans movement and we encourage lesbians everywhere to leave the LGBT and form their own independent movement, as well as to be vocal and take action against the proposed changes to the General Recognition Act”.
The cast of Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre in the heart of London’s gay scene has released a beautiful video about what Pride means to them.
Aladdin will be performing at the opening of Pride, ahead of this Disney have created a video featuring the West End cast of Aladdin talking about what Pride means to them.
Stonewall’s decision to boycott Pride In London has been slammed by one prominent BAME activist as not in the interest of ethnic minorities.
Yesterday, we reported that the UK’s largest LGBT+ charity, Stonewall, announced it was not going to march in this year’s parade, citing perceived issues with inclusivity and diversity. These are claims that Pride In London have strenuously denied.
One prominent activist has slammed the move, saying that it was “not the right move” for Stonewall to be making and that it is not in the interest of ethnic minority groups and called for all parties to “work together” for better representation.
Speaking to THEGAYUK.com, Edwin Sesange African LGBTI rights advocate said,
“The issue of racism and unfair representation of some communities in the LGBTI community is unacceptable and many organisations have been accused of the above in the past.
“Therefore I am not sure whether the boycott is the right move or in the best interest of ethnic minority groups.
“It is high time for all parties to work together towards a fairer representation.”
