London Pride celebrations to have ‘significant policing presence'
The Metropolitan Police said it had been working closely with event organisers and other emergency services 'for many months in preparation for the event'.
It added that there would be 'no tolerance of hate crime' at the celebrations.
The parade, which will go from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place via Piccadilly, will see hundreds of groups taking part.
Among them will be contingents from the emergency services, including the Met, as well as other public bodies.
The Met contingent will be made up of officers and staff from the Met LGBT+ Network and allies. The officers, who will not be in uniform, will be off-duty and not part of the policing operation on the day.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari, who is leading the policing operation for Pride in London, said: 'The public can expect to see a significant policing presence in central London. Officers are there to ensure everyone taking part in the celebrations can do so in safety and security.
'Our primary role is to provide a reassuring presence while being able to respond swiftly and effectively to any incidents.
'Pride is a celebration of the LGBT+ community and those attending should be able to do so free from discrimination, abuse or fear. There will be no tolerance of hate crime – we would urge anyone who is a victim of it to speak to an officer immediately so we can take action.
'Any of our officers are able to help and support, but we will also have specialist LGBT+ community liaison officers deployed as part of the policing operation to assist where particular expertise is required.
'The areas around the parade and the various stages will be extremely busy, with Soho in particular likely to be very crowded. Please plan your travel to and from the event in advance, look out for each other and ask for help if you need it.
'As with any large public event, we would urge people attending to be alert and keep their eyes open. If you see something that doesn't look or feel right, please trust your instincts and bring it to the attention of an officer or a steward. In an emergency, always call 999.'
The Pride in London celebrations will include a parade and a number of entertainment stages.
Seven entertainment stages will be running, at Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Golden Square, Soho Square, Dean Street and Victoria Embankment Gardens.
Police said pubs and bars across Westminster will be open as usual and are 'expected to be very busy'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
38 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Priests accused of doing ‘seven shots of Christ'
Priests at a cathedral accused of having a binge drinking culture played a 'seven last shots of Christ' game after a Good Friday service, it has been claimed. Choristers who used to sing at the church said excessive drinking was commonplace as senior figures would look for 'any excuse to bring out the wine'. Details of the concerning culture at the Bangor Cathedral in Wales emerged just days after Andrew John retired as Archbishop of Wales with immediate effect. The claims come following two critical reports highlighting safeguarding concerns and misbehaviour at his Bangor diocese which states there was a 'culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred'. A former chorister told the BBC she was sexually assaulted in 2022 by a man who was training to become a priest. She said this took place after a Bangor Cathedral Oktoberfest event and that he had been drinking 'considerably too much'. The woman, who is now in her early 20s, said she reported it and he apologised, but commented that the drinking culture did not change. She said: 'Several bottles of prosecco would be gone through on a Sunday morning.' After a cathedral concert on Good Friday in 2023, members of the choir and 'a few of the priests' went for drinks, the chorister claimed. The woman said: 'It was deemed appropriate to do the seven last shots of Christ. 'Because Christ has seven last words, therefore we sang seven pieces of the seven last words in the concert – and that somehow translated into seven shots of Christ. 'I think I left after the first shot because I was like, 'I don't think this is appropriate.' There's too many people taking shots in dog collars for me to be comfortable.' Esme Byrd, a lay clerk who would regularly sing with the choir, said the culture around drinking was 'deeply unhealthy'. The 29-year-old said people at the church were often getting 'catastrophically drunk' and that there was a 'culture of binge drinking'. She said: 'It seemed to be any excuse to bring out the wine, any excuse to go to the pub.' Ms Byrd, who worked closely with children at the choir, said she was also concerned about the language used around children and their general wellbeing. 'Always inappropriate' The church in Wales said 'concerns about a drinking culture' prompted them to investigate and said alcohol was 'not now generally available' after services. A spokesman for Bangor Cathedral said they did not believe the church was unsafe for children. The spokesman told the BBC: 'Previous concerns about a drinking culture at the Cathedral contributed to the decision to undertake a Bishop's visitation. 'The implementation group who are addressing the recommendations from the visitation are developing a policy concerning alcohol use. Alcohol is not now generally available after services. 'The inappropriate use of alcohol within and during cathedral-related activities included encouragement by some towards others to consume alcohol.' Safeguarding measures in place They said DBS checks are now required along with safeguarding training to comply with UK legislation and the policies in the Church of Wales. The spokesman said the blessing of beer was occasionally practised in churches – but that 'the abuse of alcohol is always inappropriate'. There is no suggestion the archbishop has behaved inappropriately.
Telegraph
39 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Palestine Action protesters arrested after defying terror ban
Palestine Action supporters have defied a terror ban hours after it came into force. Several dozen activists gathered in front of Parliament to show their backing for the group, despite it being against the law to display support for a proscribed organisation. The designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist group came into effect at midnight on Friday after a late-night legal attempt to delay it failed. Hours later, activists held up placards reading: 'I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.' In a statement on social media before the protest, Scotland Yard had warned that people showing support for the group would face prosecution. As the protest was under way, the Metropolitan Police said: 'Officers are responding to a protest in support of Palestine Action in Parliament Square. 'The group is now proscribed and expressing support for them is a criminal offence. Arrests are being made.' Among those who appeared to be taken away was an elderly woman in a dog collar, who had been sitting in a camp chair with one of the placards at her feet, Another person was seen lying on the floor in handcuffs as police gathered over her. The protest came after three judges, including the Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, refused a last-minute attempt to pause the ban coming into effect. MPs had overwhelmingly voted in favour of a decision taken on Wednesday by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to proscribe the protest group under the Terrorism Act 2000, with the Lords having approved the move. Within hours of the ban coming into effect, activists organised by the Defend Our Juries group gathered near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square, holding signs saying 'I support Palestine Action'. Leslie Tate, 76, a Green councillor from Hertfordshire who was at the protest, said: 'Palestine Action are not a violent organisation, and the proscription is wrong. 'You do know, of course, that they were prescribed by Parliament with two other groups involved – all three at once so that was a trick to make sure the Bill went through. 'The evidence from their actions that they've taken from the start of Palestine Action is that they all have been non-violent. 'This protest is necessary to defend our democracy, and this is the creeping edge of totalitarianism, frankly.' Alex Hearn, the Labour Against Antisemitism director, said: 'Palestine Action aligning themselves with Gandhi is laughable. It cynically misrepresents their activities as non-violent, when in truth attacking police with a sledgehammer and vandalising properties is anything but.'
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Pro-Palestine activists disrupt London Pride parade as they cover float with red paint day after Palestine Action were banned
Pro-Palestine activists have disrupted the London Pride parade as they covered a float with red paint. Four Youth Demand protesters targeted CISCO's truck as they charged the US-based company with 'genocide' and said they have 'no place' at the event. It comes less than 24 hours after it emerged that Palestine Action will be banned and designated as a terrorist organisation. Last night, a judge threw out co-founder Huda Ammori's legal challenge to stop the government from proscribing it under the Terrorism Act 2000. Photos from the London Pride event today show the group of Youth Demand activists sitting in front of CISCO's float holding buckets of red paint and Palestinian flags. The parade was delayed for about an hour while the protesters were removed and five people arrested. Youth Demand claimed on social media: 'Technology corporation CISCO has a long standing partnership with the Israeli military and enables the mass murder of Palestinians through advanced military communication networks facilitated by their Unified Communication systems. 'They have willingly supplied their technology to strengthen Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza and have NO place at London pride. 'They are not only complicit in war crimes but actively enabling military communications in an apartheid state. 'We demand a total trade embargo on Israel and an end to the pink-washing of complicit corporations.' The group targeted the CISCO float as it passed through Piccadilly at around 12.30pm today. Four activists glued themselves to it, before chanting 'we charge you with genocide'. A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Met officers have arrested five people after Youth Demand protesters disrupted the Pride event in central London. 'At around 12:30hrs four members of the group threw red paint over a truck involved in the parade and glued themselves to the vehicle outside The Ritz. 'They were removed by specialist officers and arrested. A fifth member of the group was arrested in the crowd. 'The parade has resumed and a significant policing operation remains in place.' Youth Demand yesterday said that they stand 'unequivocally' with Palestine Action. The group posted on social media: 'The proscription of Palestine Action is the most sinister escalation we've seen yet in this government's actions to silence those who resist genocide 'Whilst the UK sends weapons to Israel and flies spy planes over Gaza, it terrorises those standing against it at home with unprecedented repression.' The proposal to ban Palestine Action was approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords earlier this week. It would make membership and support for the direct action group a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. But despite the request, Mr Justice Chamberlain refused to block Ms Ammori's challenge at the High Court. He said: 'I have concluded that the harm which would ensue if interim relief is refused but the claim later succeeds is insufficient to outweigh the strong public interest in maintaining the order in force.' Ms Ammori's legal team was also denied permission to appeal and was advised to take their case directly to the Court of Appeal. Currently, 81 organisations are already proscribed under the 2000 Act, including Hamas, al Qaida, and National Action. Friday's hearing comes after an estimated £7million worth of damage was caused to two Voyager planes at RAF Brize Norton on June 20, in an action claimed by Palestine Action. Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22, are accused of conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. They were remanded into custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court and will appear at the Old Bailey on July 18.
