A trans pride march held in London on Saturday is said to have broken records as the biggest such march in history.
Between 55,000 and 60,000 people processed through the capital in solidarity with the trans community, for the London Trans+ Pride (LT+P) event.
Speeches were given by supporters including Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney, Trans Legal Clinic founder Olivia Campbell-Cavendish, and Trans Prisoner Alliance founder and activist Sarah Jane Baker.LT+P is described as “a peaceful march through central London, open to trans+ people, the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, joining in a union of celebration for trans+ lives, past and present, standing for trans+ rights and marching in solidarity with Palestine, Sudan, Haiti and Congo”.
The march began in Langham Place, Westminster, at 1pm on Saturday before making its way along Regents Street, to Piccadilly Circus and along Piccadilly, arriving at Wellington Arch around 4pm.
It is understood the march was originally meant to begin at Trafalgar Square, but changed its route so it would not cross paths with a protest led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson on Saturday. Thousands of supporters of Robinson gathered at Trafalgar Square to listen to speeches following the march.
Lewis G Burton, a founding member of LT+P, launched in 2018, said on Sunday: “London Trans+ Pride 2024 was the biggest one to date.
“This show of solidarity with the trans+ community yesterday was so powerful and poignant - in a time when we need the public’s show of support now more than ever.
“We have confirmation that 55,000-60,000+ people were in attendance at its highest point, meaning that this made London Trans+ Pride the biggest trans pride march in the world right now.
“Often at times due to vitriol and bigotry inflated by the UK media that our community faces we often feel like we live in a country where we are not loved and respected.
“Yesterday was a beautiful reminder to not only the glorious trans+ community but to London, the new Labour government and the rest of the world that trans+ people are loved and this love is a huge majority”.
This year’s theme was said to be ‘justice and liberation’, which organisers said was “is in response to the ongoing injustices and atrocities happening across the world”.
