Political parties will not be permitted at Bristol Pride this year, event organisers have confirmed. No parties will have a stall or be allowed to walk as organisations in the parade "until more is done to stand up for [the] entire community", a statement from the event said.
Organisers acknowledged balancing voices and opinions is "difficult", but said not enough is being done to tackle hatred and prejudice "from the top" of the parties. The statement, released on Twitter, goes on to recognise the "good work" being done on a local level, including a cross party motion which recognises transgender rights as human rights, but say this work is 'undermined' by national politics.
It comes days after attendants at a trans pride event in Bristol were attacked with BB guns in what Avon and Somerset Police has called a hate crime. Several people were hit with gel pellets after two people fired in the direction of the Trans Pride picnic in Castle Park.
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The annual picnic followed the Bristol Pride dog show and is part of more than a week of events in the lead-up to Bristol Pride Day taking place this Saturday, July 8. The organiser's statement also comes after a series of recent attacks on the LGBT+ community in Bristol, including an arson attack on a billboard advertising Bristol Pride and vandals spray painting a gay couple's rainbow doormat black.
Bristol Pride's statement posted to Twitter said: "You may notice that no political partied will be present at Bristol Pride this year. We have decided to not allow any political parties to have a stall, or walk with us as organisations in the march until more is done to stand up for our entire community , ensuring that LGBT+ rights are embedded into policy, and that none of our community is left behind.
"We recognise that parties have many members and managing all voices and opinions is difficulty. However, leadership and party line comes from the top and not enough is currently being done to support our community and to lead by example in tackling prejudice and hatred.
"We also recognise and value the good work being done in the city to support the LGBT+ community, including the passing of a cross party motion to recognise trans rights as human rights. But all great work done locally is undermined by the actions of party leaders and MPs who are unwilling or able to stand up for their LGBT+ constituents and being drawn into bad faith rhetoric, particularly about the rights of trans people."
"Our hope is that by 2024, there will be that true allyship from MPs and party leadership. As an organisation, we're happy to help by being a conduit for conversation, engage in feedback, and help further LGBT+ rights, supporting parties in tackling and educating party members on issues that impact our community. Now more than ever, we need political parties to stand up for our community when it counts and to do so all year round, not just at Pride."
