Greater than 1,000,000 folks flocked to central London on Saturday for a record-breaking Fiftieth-anniversary Pleasure parade.
The three-hour-long procession retraced a part of the route of the primary Pleasure parade in 1972 and was led by veterans of the battle for the rights of lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and transgender folks in addition to these questioning their sexuality or gender id (LGBTQ).
Greater than 600 teams and an estimated 30,000 contributors danced, sang and rode floats, forming a spectacle of rainbow flags, glitter and sequins.
Amongst these marching was a contingent from Ukraine, who criticized homophobia in Russia.
This yr’s parade was the primary because the COVID-19 pandemic and people collaborating had been urged to take a lateral circulation check because of rising virus instances throughout Britain.
The UK Well being Safety Company had issued the same warning for folks exhibiting doable signs of monkeypox. A shock world outbreak in 53 nations has seen a number of instances amongst males who’ve intercourse with different males.
The 2022 occasion was the primary because the COVID-19 pandemic, which curtailed many giant public gatherings and demonstrations
‘Extra to be accomplished’ for LGBTQ rights
Chris Joell-Deshields, the director of organizers Pleasure in London, stated “momentous” rights and freedoms had been earned because the inaugural occasion, “however there may be extra to be accomplished.”
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson known as the Fiftieth anniversary a “milestone,” and paid tribute to the bravery of those that organized the primary occasions.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan informed reporters the occasion was a celebration of group, unity and progress.
However he stated it was additionally a reminder of the necessity to “marketing campaign and by no means be complacent.”
“We noticed this time final week an assault in Oslo simply hours earlier than that parade, the place two folks misplaced their lives and greater than 20 had been injured,” Khan stated. “So, we have to take heed to the truth that there’s nonetheless a hazard to this group of discrimination, bias and violence.”
The London parade was adopted by a live performance in Trafalgar Sq. on Saturday night.
A number of hundred folks took half in London’s first Pleasure parade in 1972
50-year battle for acceptance
The primary Pleasure, in March 1972, noticed only a few hundred marchers met by a heavy uniformed police presence.
It happened simply 5 years after homosexuality was decriminalized within the UK.
Pleasure helped construct assist for equality for LGBTQ individuals who repeatedly confronted discrimination, insults and generally unprovoked violent assaults.
Within the Eighties, the marketing campaign would go on to battle in opposition to then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s laws in opposition to the “promotion of homosexuality” in colleges.
It additionally helped to lift consciousness and assist for folks with HIV/AIDS.
Now, as LGBTQ folks within the UK expertise higher inclusion and equality, Pleasure in London is extra celebration than protest.
Parade criticized as too business
Peter Tatchell, a veteran homosexual rights campaigner who took half within the first march, stated some from the unique occasion have boycotted the modern-day sponsored model as “depoliticized and commercialized.”
Tatchell stated that regardless of victories corresponding to same-sex marriage, “we’re nonetheless preventing to ban LGBT+ conversion practices which search to alter an individual’s sexual orientation or gender id.”
“We’re nonetheless preventing to safe trans folks’s proper to alter their authorized paperwork with ease by a easy statutory declaration. And naturally, we’re standing in solidarity with a world LGBT+ motion,” he informed Agence France-Presse.
mm/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)