Thousands protest against legal ruling on trans women

Tens of thousands of people took to streets yesterday across the UK in protest against the betrayal” of the trans community after a Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman.

- TARA COBHAM

The rally in central London is estimated by organisers to have attracted 20,000 demonstrators, while thousands more gathered in towns and cities up and down the country for dozens of other protests, with more planned in the coming days.

Trans rights groups, trade unions and community organisations came together for what was billed as an “emergency demonstration” in Parliament Square, with activists demanding “trans liberation” and “trans rights now”. Some waved flags and held banners, with placards stating “trans rights are human rights” and “trans women are women” seen among the signs being held aloft.

At least two statues were daubed with graffiti during the rally, with “fag rights” and a heart painted on the banner held by suffragette Millicent Fawcett, and “trans rights are human rights” sprayed on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader and statesman Jan Christian Smuts. The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was investigating damage to seven statues.