Wow, what a day. It’s been a joy and a privilege to blog London’s biggest ever Pride event, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it too – whether you’re there in person or at home watching the internet turn rainbow. People from all walks of life have turned out in support today, from actors and presenters to the emergency services, teachers, musicians, sports personalities, and politicians. I never thought I’d be posting a picture of Sir Keir Starmer with glitter on his face … and I sort of hope it doesn’t wash off.
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Reporter Amy Walker is chatting to some of those who have been celebrating today. She reports:
Amber Whiting, 27, watched the parade from Haymarket with her friend Connor Mathews, 29. She first attended Pride in London 10 years ago.
“At the time, I didn’t even know the terminology for bisexuality,” she said.
“Over the years I’ve realised I’m actual pansexual, but I still get stigma from friends who in a ‘jokey’ way say I’m just indecisive. Here, I feel represented.”
Having been to three other annual Pride events, she noted that this year’s felt less “commercial” with more of a focus on LGBTQ+ groups marching together than branded floats fronted by minor celebrities.
“It feels bigger. It feels like everyone who’s here is enjoying it and has missed it - it’s nice to be back,” she added.
The London Ambulance Service have been at the event today, showing their support with an ambulance float specially decorated in the Progress Pride flag.
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We’re into the final hour of the parade now, folks.
Sadiq Khan’s office have said that over a million people were in attendance today - including representatives from more than 600 LGBT+ community groups - describing it as the biggest Pride in the capital ever.
March halted by queer activist group
Queer activist group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, reportedly halted today’s Pride in London march to protest against the presence of police at future London pride events.
Halting the parade for 23 minutes — representing the 23 people who have died in London Metropolitan Police custody since the end of 2020 - the 40 LGBTQ+ protesters, wearing all black with pink veils, staged a ‘die in’, lying on the ground while others chanted instructions for how to intervene in a police stop and search.
On either side, members of the group held two banners facing spectators that read ‘no pride in cops, no pride in borders’.
Queer activists just held a die in and halted Pride in London for 23 minutes, one minute for every person who has died in police custody in England and Wales since the start of 2021.
— Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants (@lgsmigrants) July 2, 2022
WE DEMAND NO COPS AT PRIDE✊🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/KiA0VTDr2a
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This just in from my colleague Amy Walker, who is at the march in London today:
With discussions taking place on issues ranging from conversion therapy to the history of the march, many of those the Guardian spoke to noted there was still room for improvement when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights.
“It’s been really good to see that nearly every single float and flag has included the trans flag,” said Damien, 25, who also added that the main thing he’d missed about the event was being able to wear glitter on his face in public.
As the Guardian chatted to Rosy, 23, a bisexual student enjoying her first Pride parade, she pointed out a group of anti-LGBT Christian protestors on the other side of the road.
“Bit of a downer, but it just goes to show how important this still is,” she said, before quipping that a gay couple had been seen defiantly “snogging” in front of them.
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Shetland celebrates first ever Pride march
Meanwhile in Scotland, Shetland is celebrating its historic first ever Pride march today, the most northerly celebration of its kind in the UK.
It has drawn interest from across the world and visiting drag queens travelled by ferry from Aberdeen to perform at a sold-out variety show.
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Young actors dance to Whitney Houston in front of a group of anti-LGBT protestors
The young stars of Netflix’s LGBT+ teen series Heartstopper – which has been a huge hit for the platform – were seen dancing to Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody and giving the middle finger to homophobic protesters earlier this afternoon, according to Sky News reports.
The stars of Heartstopper absolutely loving it as anti-LGBT protesters are challenged by a young Pride supporter #Pride pic.twitter.com/7uUwaG9MXW
— Scott Beasley (@SkyScottBeasley) July 2, 2022
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A tribute to Pride on display today in London’s Piccadilly Circus, as revellers line the streets along the parade route.
TV personality Alison Hammond attends alongside presenter Phillip Schofield, who came out as gay in 2020.
Singer Emeli Sandé, who is among those on the entertainment bill, has posted a story on her Instagram showing her and her partner, classical pianist Yoana Karemov, at the event in London today.
Sandé previously said she was driven to come out publicly by an urge to be “bold and honest” in everything she does, and that while she had been “nervous” about the decision, she also wanted to “shout from the rooftops and celebrate” their relationship.
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Singer Sam Smith has just performed at the JW Anderson store in London’s Soho, according to Pop mag’s Instagram.The artist came out as non-binary in 2019.
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Victoria Scone has just performed in Trafalgar square. Scone is best known for competing on the third series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK where she was the first cisgender female contestant on any series of the Drag Race franchise.
Half a century after LGBTQ+ people marched through London for the first UK Pride, key players recall the fun, the fear, the fallout … and the paisley hot pants, in Amelia Abraham’s recent piece.
Olympic athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, who recently came out publicly as gay, is attending this year’s Pride in London event.
She posted a picture of herself on Instagram wearing a multicoloured outfit featuring a Pride flag, alongside the hashtag “beingme”.
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Cambridge student Padraig O Siochphradra Presern, 22, from Slovenia, was among the throngs of young people who said this Pride was their first.
On their first impressions of the event on Saturday afternoon, Presern said: “It’s quite overwhelming, but in a good way.
“I think there are more people here than the population of my entire country.”
After coming with “no expectations”, they and friends planned to hang around into the evening to catch Ava Max at Trafalgar Square.
But despite the festivities, they added that Pride in London was “definitely still a protest”.
“The whole purpose is to say we’re still here, we’re not going anywhere and to highlight that not everyone around the world has these rights.
“There’s definitely still things to work on, including trans inclusivity, outside and inside the community,” added Presern.
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If you haven’t listened to it already, do check out our Today in Focus episode from earlier this week, on 50 years of Pride in the UK and why we still need it.
Pride in London should return to its radical roots, says Peter Tatchell
Our reporter David Batty writes:
Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has called on the UK’s largest Pride event to return to its radical political roots, saying the 1972 march was about wider social change, not just equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Gay Liberation Front, which organised the first Pride, saw itself as part of a wider social movement for the liberation of all oppressed people,” said Tatchell. “We stood in solidarity with women’s liberation, the black and Irish communities, and working class people and trade unions.
“Our goal was not limited to the narrow horizon of equal rights. GLF did not want equality within what we saw as an unjust flawed society. We wanted to change society, not adapt and assimilate into it.”
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Sadiq Khan says police have been 'sensitive' to concerns about uniformed officers
The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said that while officers would be present on Saturday to keep people safe during the celebrations, those taking part in the parade itself would not be in uniform due to the “legitimate concerns” of activists.
The move comes after Peter Tatchell and other LGBTQ+ campaigners voiced concern about the Met’s “homophobic” handling of the investigation into the serial killer Stephen Port. Tatchell said the case showed that “institutional homophobia is alive and kicking in the Metropolitan police” and that it would not be right for uniformed officers to march in the parade.
In previous years, officers from the Metropolitan police have taken part in the parade in their work clothing.
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For Noah Colton (pictured above), 18, in attendance as his drag persona Eva More, today’s event was about “acknowledging” the history of Pride on its 50th anniversary, but mostly about having a great time.
“I’m trying to focus on enjoying it, and seeing it as a coming together of the community where you can be who want to be, rather than politicising it,” he said.
Wearing seven-inch silver platform stilettos, the plan, he said, was to walk the entire six-hour March before heading to Trafalgar Square and then Clapham in south London for a drag night.
“I have got more comfortable shoes in my bag,” he admitted.
Many participants are holding Ukrainian flags as they take part in the march.
A film made by Pride in London for today’s event shows “how far we’ve come in the last 50 years and how far we must go”.
On Saturday we rise, unite, remember, dance, slay and MARCH for #AllOurPride
— Pride in London (@PrideInLondon) June 29, 2022
See how far we’ve come in the last 50 years and how far we must go, together in our film.
@WPP #PrideInLondon #pridemonth pic.twitter.com/txGMCVWUas
This from my colleague Amy Walker who has joined the parade:
At Marble Arch at lunchtime, crowds of people adorned in flags – both Pride and trans – cheered as parade floats got ready to embark, while dance music pumped out from on-board speakers.
Though many of those with the most elaborate outfits (sky high platform heels and strappy crop tops) were from the younger ranks of the community, plenty of veterans were also in attendance.
Winston Woodfine, 59, dressed down in a Nike cap, Ralph Lauren tracksuit and trainers, said that despite the wait, this year would be a more “subdued” affair for him.
“I used to get dressed up with friends, but some of them are no longer with us and some of them have moved away,” he said.
But he added that he felt the event itself was no less significant.
“With any anniversary, it’s nice to thank [the campaigners] for what they’ve done, while acknowledging there’s still a long way to go.”
“We think of Pride as this big coming together but there also might be people who are lonely, or just coming out, and this is a place they can meet people or find out about support.”
Asked about the absence of uniformed Met police officers marching in the parade, Woodfine described it as a “shame”.
“It’s important to be inclusive. We need them and they need us,” he said.
“We don’t want any division, and god forbid anything happens [at Pride] and we need to call on them.”
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What is the march route?
Marchers will then reach the second podium at Piccadilly Circus, where they will turn right and head towards Charing Cross to the third podium at the top of Orange Street.
The parade will travel past the Mall and end at Whitehall at about 6pm.
You can check the parade route map on Pride in London’s website.
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Good afternoon, everyone. You’ve got me, Sophie Zeldin-O’Neill, here providing updates throughout the afternoon.
A bit of background on today’s march: Pride in London is back for the first time since 2019, with more than a million people expected to join the march. The major event marks 50 years since the capital’s first Pride march in 1972, and will feature performances across four stages around central London.
Singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, 2018 Eurovision winner Netta, and pop and soul singer Samantha Mumba will take to the stages.
The parade will close with a “show-stopping” performance by pop superstar Ava Max at Trafalgar Square.
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More than 1m people expected to join London's 50th anniversary Pride celebrations
Over a million people are expected to descend on the streets of London today for the capital’s first Pride celebrations since the pandemic.
Today’s event, which also marks the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first Pride parade, kicks off at midday at Hyde Park Corner.
Organisers, who have billed the event as the “biggest and most inclusive event in history”, said over 30,000 people have registered to march in the 2022 Pride Parade and over 400 community groups.
It will be led by the Gay Liberation Front, who marched in the first protest in 1972.
Follow the blog for updates throughout the afternoon.
