More Party Than Protest, But Great Response to Socialist Ideas at Leicester Pride

With over 10,000 attendees including 3,000 people in the parade, Leicester Pride was the largest the city has seen.

Although the atmosphere was definitely more in line with a party than a protest, people liked the Socialist Party’s message that we need socialist change to truly win liberation.

Groups of more than five had to register with the organisers. This is unlikely to affect corporate delegations.

Large rainbow flags with corporate logos were visible all around. But such tactics might be used to keep organisations like us out, to further depoliticise pride.

We asked a Tory councillor during the march about his own party deporting LGBT+ people back to countries where people are killed for being gay. He said: “I’ve never thought about it like that.”

We also campaigned for trans rights and the ability to self-identify your gender. Many people were enthusiastic to sign our petition.

We gave out 200 leaflets advertising a public meeting on the fight for trans rights and against austerity. We raised £68 for the fighting fund and sold 18 copies of the Socialist.