Thousands march in London Pride parade as activists warn LGBTQ+ rights under threat

Thousands of activists marched in London in the capital’s LGBTQ+ Pride Parade as campaigners issued a stark warning about trans rights.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan was among those at the forefront of London’s Pride March on Saturday, leading activists in chanting “Happy Pride” as the march began.

More than 35,000 marchers from more than 600 groups took part in the march from Hyde Park Corner via Piccadilly to Whitehall Place, and more than a million spectators are expected to flock to the capital for the celebrations.

It has been claimed that a number of artists such as Beth Ditto and MNEK will perform on the main stage in Trafalgar Square, and there have been rumors that Madonna will also take the stage following the launch of her highly anticipated album. Confessions IIIn London on Friday.

However, organizers later confirmed the 67-year-old pop star would not be attending.

“In response to rumors, we can confirm that Madonna will not be attending or performing at Pride in London,” organizers wrote in a post on social media.

“We have two fantastic headliners in Trafalgar Square to cap off a brilliant day of protest and celebration.”

It is understood there was communication between organizers and Madonna, but she was never a confirmed participant.

Spectators cheered as floats filled with dancing people and speakers blasting music, wearing rainbow colors and carrying Pride flags and fans, passed through central London on a warm, sunny day in the city.

Pride in London issued an advance warning to attendees to bring sunscreen and water with them as temperatures were predicted to reach up to 28C.

Approximately 650 police officers were deployed following the Met’s statement before the event that “hate crime will not be tolerated” while intense Pride celebrations continued in the city.

This year’s parade focused heavily on four critical issues: transgender health rights, Black and Brown queer visibility, chosen family rights, and ending hate crime.

This also marks the start of London’s official bid to host WorldPride 2032.

70-year-old gay rights activist Julian Hows said London Pride was important because “the rights of transgender people are being taken away” in the UK.

Speaking ahead of the parade, Mr Hows, who was expelled from school in 1971 for his early gay rights activism, said: “Pride is important every year.

“I’ve been coming to Pride parades since 1972, when the cops outnumbered the marchers.”

Mr Hows, wearing a rainbow-coloured vest with the words “Flight Against Section 28” and Gay Liberation Front badges, said: “Pride is also important because there has to be a level of protest below that and you can see that the freedoms we have can easily be taken away from us.”

“And we always need to go further, because there is always a place where our rights are being taken away, whether it’s in this country with the Reformation, whether it’s in this country where transgender people’s rights are being taken away, whether it’s in other countries abroad.”

A spokesperson for Pride in London said: “The urgency is clear: NHS waiting lists for gender-affirming care are now over four years old in some areas, while a comprehensive trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy remains unlegislated despite a 2018 government pledge.

“At the same time, the community infrastructure that LGBTQ+ people rely on is shrinking – 58 per cent of LGBTQ+ venues in London have closed since 2006.

“These gaps in care, protection and safe spaces are emerging amid ongoing hostility, with Home Office figures showing more than 18,000 hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation will be reported to police in 2025.”

As part of our campaign supporting people during Pride Month, Independent In partnership with Pride in London, she marched in the parade and launched our iconic 2026 Pride List, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community’s greatest trailblazers.

Companies sponsoring floats in the parade included Lidl, Tesco and Ikea, and the Swedish furniture brand’s float carried the message: “Love requires no instructions.”

London-based football teams, including Arsenal, West Ham and Crystal Palace, also took part in the parade.

Activist Peter Tatchell says FIFA has “done nothing” about 11 countries banning gay football players at the World Cup.

Speaking at the march, Mr Tatchell said: “We are marching in London Pride today to highlight the fact that 11 countries have banned gay footballers from their teams in the ongoing World Cup; this is against Fifa rules, but FIFA is doing nothing.”

The Australian-born campaigner added: “This year’s Pride is as important as ever.

“Especially when Reform councils across the country are banning Pride flags… they want to take books off the shelves.

“This is very dangerous, very threatening for all of us,” he said.

Pride in London interim CEO Rebecca Paisis said: “We want 2026 to be the most inclusive London Pride event ever.

“Our movement has always been built on many voices becoming a single united front, from the people who marched in 1972 to those who joined us for the first time this year. This is where our strength lies.

“As LGBTQ+ individuals, we have never been strangers to challenges, but we are also no strangers to collective action.

“This year’s campaign is a reminder that although society often faces challenges in isolation, only by coming together can we change history.”

Stonewall co-founder and LGBTQ+ activist Lisa Power said: “Adversity is meant to tear us apart, but like the 1980s, it can also make us stronger.

“We currently have a government and institutions that attack the rights of transgender people, aiming to defend our rights, and the rest of us will follow.”