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More than 100,000 people took to the streets for London Trans+ Pride 2025 on Saturday, making it the biggest such event in the world, organisers said.
The route wound through the centre of the capital’s most famous sites, taking in Regent’s Street, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square. It concluded at Parliament Square with speakers including Heartstopper and Doctor Who actor Yasmin Finney.
The event’s theme was “existence and resistance” in response to the UK supreme court ruling in April that said the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.
Lewis G Burton, one of the founding members of London Trans+ Pride said: “This year’s London Trans+ Pride made history once again, with over 100,000 trans+ people and allies marching through central London – smashing our own world record of 60,000 and continuing our legacy as the biggest trans+ pride event in history.
“It was an emotional and powerful day. At a time when the supreme court is making sweeping decisions about trans people without consulting a single trans person or organisation, and when a small, well-funded lobby of anti-trans campaigners continues to dominate headlines and waste public resources, our community came together to show what real strength, solidarity and care looks like.
“I feel honoured to have platformed some of the most inspiring activists, organisers and trans people from across the globe. London Trans+ Pride was a vital act of resistance and joy – a reminder to trans+ people that they are not alone, that they are celebrated, and that they belong.
“The message was clear: we will not be erased. Our existence is natural, historic and enduring. You can try to take away our rights, but you will never remove us from society. We are a part of humanity – and the public will not stand by while harm is done to our community.”
Alex Parmar-Yee, from Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, said: “It’s important to turn up en masse to make sure that it’s very clear what the feelings are in terms of the rights which we’re fighting for, but also in protest of some of the harmful proposals that are currently being considered.”
Referring to the Equality and Human Rights Commission interim guidance, she added: “This guidance has not provided any additional clarity, and actually is going to devastate the lives of trans people (who) will lose access to essential services and spaces.
“The main concern really here is that it feels like there’s not been a consideration of trans members of the community, and that this guidance will pass behind closed doors, without the scrutiny, and without visibility, and without democracy.”
Parmar-Yee also raised concerns about the rhetoric used in public and online discussions of trans rights, saying: “The rhetoric is not helping. There is a lot of hate which is amplified.
“And I think you sort of see this happening around the world, and then you see it mirrored in the policy.
“You look at the bathroom ban that’s being proposed, and you sort of realise that, although we may consider the UK quite different from a country like America, it’s a bathroom ban that would make someone like Donald Trump proud.”
She said the next step for Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation supporting trans rights organisations and activists, was a call for transparency over the guidance in the wake of the supreme court ruling.
“There is a lack of transparency and I think we cannot be a nation that accepts a bathroom ban becoming law behind closed doors,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Berlin, tens of thousands danced to techno beats to celebrate the German capital’s Pride parade, one of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in Europe.
The parade took revellers past the Brandenburg Gate and through the Nollendorfplatz neighbourhood, home to the city’s gay culture.
German news agency dpa reported that a rightwing counter-demonstration featured 30 to 50 protesters.
Six people, including the protest’s organiser, were arrested on their way to the demonstration for alleged weapons and explosives violations as well as for displaying anti-constitutional symbols, dpa reported, according to the Associated Press.
Amsterdam Pride saw thousands of people march in a festive and political mood, as they emphasised the need to defend LGBTQI+ rights, which are increasingly under threat around the world.
Organised by the Pride Amsterdam foundation, the march, which had the theme “love”, kicked off a week of festivities in the Dutch capital, culminating next weekend in a huge parade on the city’s famous canals, AFP reported.
“People are not so aware about the march, because it has turned into too much of a party and does not so much focus on why we do it,” said Ben Thomas, 44, from Amsterdam, who teaches young refugees. “We’re not just here to party, but we’re here to be equal citizens. We’re here for our rights.”
