Pride in London 2023: Thousands march from Hyde Park as a part of capital’s LGBT parade amid Just Stop Oil disruption menace

Thousands of individuals have marched on London as a part of town’s Pride parade.

The march acquired beneath manner from midday from Hyde Park with greater than 30,000 folks anticipated to participate within the parade itself.

The occasion marks 51 years for the reason that first march for LGBTQ+ rights by means of the capital.

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Pride in London 2023 parade

Metropolitan Police confirmed they made seven arrests for public nuisance after a “small number of protesters” sat down within the highway at Piccadilly junction with Down Street 1.30pm.

The arrests had been made at round 1.45pm with the highway cleared inside minutes to permit the parade to proceed, the pressure stated.

Just Stop Oil had warned of potential disruption forward of the march because it referred to as on Pride in London to not settle for sponsorship cash from “high-polluting industries”.

LGBT+ members of the group additionally referred to as for floats from these organisations to be banned and stated organisers ought to condemn new oil, fuel and coal.

Pride in London referred to as for the parade to get the “respect and focus it deserves”.

Mayor of Londom Sadiq Khan informed Sky News any protest needs to be “peaceful, safe and lawful”.

“Actually, Pride in London, the 600 groups marching in the parade or the 35,000 people on the parade themselves are protesting at the fact that things aren’t perfect in London,” he stated.

“Particularly when it comes to the trans community who face stigmatisation, demonisation and have been weaponised in a culture war.

“So the irony the place folks on a protest may have protests in opposition to them is not misplaced on members of this glorious group.”

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In an announcement, Just Stop Oil stated partnerships with “poisonous” industries “embarrass the LGBTQ+ group”.

“If London Pride fails to take these primary steps obligatory to guard our group, we must think about potential escalations which can consequence within the disruption of Pride,” they said,

“We will even name for your entire LGBTQ+ group to hitch us in protest and boycott – for the protection of LGBTQ+ folks in every single place.”

A spokesperson for Pride in London stated that its focus this yr was was guaranteeing the trans group know they “#NeverMarchAlone”.

“We call on all individuals, groups and organisations to give this space the respect and focus it deserves in an increasingly hostile and unsafe world,” they added.