London was awash with color as lots of of hundreds of individuals marched via the streets of the capital within the “greatest ever” Delight because the parade returned for the primary time because the pandemic to mark its fiftieth anniversary.
Metropolis mayor Sadiq Khan’s workplace saidmore than a million revellers, many in rainbow colors and sporting face paint, glitter, jewels and sequins, gathered on Saturday for what organisers declared was the “greatest and most inclusive occasion in historical past”.
Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes and singer Emeli Sande, who each just lately got here out as homosexual, had been among the many well-known faces who shared their pleasure at collaborating.
Dame Kelly, the double gold medal winner, instructed crowds she was “by no means going to reside behind that curtain once more” after making her sexuality public final month on the age of 52
Delight organisers stated greater than 30,000 folks had utilized to hitch the parade to have fun progress made in tackling inequality and the continued battle towards injustice.
The principle parade, led by the Homosexual Liberation Entrance, began close to Hyde Park at 3pm. Floats packed the streets within the capital as folks danced and sang in the summertime sunshine, with activists holding placards saying “I used to be there in 1972” and that they’re “nonetheless combating” for world LGBT+ freedom.
A bunch of artists offered leisure throughout 4 phases on the occasion, whose official publishing associate this yr was The Unbiased.
Among the many performers was singer Sande, who beforehand stated she was pushed to return out publicly by an urge to be “daring and trustworthy” in every part she does.
The parade closed with a “show-stopping” efficiency by popstar Ava Max at Trafalgar Sq..
Lesbians and Gays Help the Migrants stated queer activists halted the satisfaction for 23 minutes in protest towards the presence of police at future London satisfaction occasions and to focus on deaths in custody.
Earlier within the week, Delight organisers instructed the Metropolitan Police that uniformed officers weren’t welcome to participate in the principle parade as a consequence of what it stated was the pressure’s “homophobic” dealing with of its investigation into the serial killer Stephen Port, who murdered 4 younger homosexual males in Barking.
Officers didn’t attend the parade and had been “delicate to the problems raised by the comminity,” London mayor Sadiq Khan stated.
He was amongst various Labour politicians, together with chief Keir Starmer and deputy chief Angela Rayner, to attend the celebrations.
Greater than 600 LGBT+ neighborhood teams joined the march, which noticed the route passingby important websites from the UK’s first LGBT+ motion.
Mohammed Nazir, 24, from Bangladesh, from marketing campaign group Rainbows Throughout Borders, stated he wished to dedicate this yr’s satisfaction to these compelled to nonetheless conceal their sexuality.
“Delight is about self-affirmation, dignity and equality. It’s a strategy to meet another LGBT+ folks. Delight is a motion the place we’re nonetheless combating for our rights,” he stated.
