London Pride parade cancelled for second year running

The London Pride parade is cancelled for the second year in a row because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The event is the UK’s biggest LGBT pride festival, usually taking place in the capital each summer. However, it could not go ahead last year either due to the pandemic. Plans for this year’s demonstration to happen on 11 September are now also called off. Organisers say the parade and concerts would not work under current coronavirus guidelines.

Executive director of London Pride, Chris Joell-Deshields, explains how the parade is a “crucial” part of the day. As it could not take place, the whole event would reduce to “two or three stages scattered across London with limited tickets”. He says that this “goes against everything we want pride to be, and everything we’ve done before”. Simply put, “no parade, no protest, means no Pride”.

In 2020 over 100 Pride events were either cancelled or postponed.

Sad but understandable decision

The London event typically draws in massive crowds, with an estimate of over 1.5 million people attending in 2019.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan says that “it is a real shame” that people cannot join together for Pride on the streets of London for a second year running. But he recognises the need for us all to remain cautious about the spread of coronavirus. Even though the city is continuing to open up, he understands why the committee of Pride in London decided to cancel. “I truly hope that next year we will be able to unite on our streets once again in solidarity and celebration”, Mayor Khan adds.

However, the cancellation has received backlash from some who are saddened by the decision. They argue “it’s an outdoor parade. If the Euros can happen, why not Pride?”

In honour of next year being the 50th anniversary of the first ever pride parade in London, organisers call on the government to “declare 2022 as the year of queer”. They are already planning their return to the streets of London with next year’s parade. Mr Joell-Deshields says it will be “the most inclusive and queerest event yet”.

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