In Pictures: Pride parade returns to streets of London

PA Wire

The 50th anniversary of the UK’s first Pride parade has been marked as the colourful procession returned to the streets of London.

Due to Covid restrictions, the annual event has not been held for the past two years.

Pride decorations in a Routemaster bus ahead of the parade (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Pride volunteers add rainbow face paint to each other’s faces (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Md Nabir Uddim (left) and Mohammed Nazir (right) from London ahead of the parade (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Floats lined Park Lane ahead of the main march through the capital, which was led by Gay Liberation Front (GLF) activists.

More than a million people are expected to descend on the city for the parade and associated celebrations.

Valkyrie from Gloucester attaches Pride decorations to a motorbike (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaking to the media (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Crowds on Park Lane ahead of the parade (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

More than 600 LGBT+ community groups are joining the march, which will pass significant sites from the UK’s first LGBT+ movement.

As part of what organisers are calling the “biggest and most inclusive event in history”, there is a line-up of artists performing across four stages around central London.

A man waves a Pride flag on Park Lane (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

This year’s parade pays homage to the original 1972 march (Matt Alexander/PA) (PA Wire)

People in Trafalgar Square take part in the celebrations (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

It is the first Pride parade in London in three years (Matt Alexander/PA) (PA Wire)