Thousands of activists have marched through London in the capital's LGBT+ Pride parade as campaigners warned rights were "being taken away from trans people." Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan was among those at the front of the Pride in London march on Saturday and led activists in a chant of "Happy Pride." Madonna is reportedly set to make an appearance at the event's main stage in Trafalgar Square.
Massive Turnout Expected
More than a million people were expected to head into London for the celebrations, with organisers saying more than 35,000 marchers from more than 600 groups were taking part in the procession running from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place via Piccadilly. The Metropolitan Police said before the event that there would be "no tolerance of hate crime" as a busy weekend of Pride celebrations takes place in the city.
Spectators cheered as floats full of people dancing and speakers playing music drove through central London. Many of those watching the parade wore rainbow colours and carried Pride flags and fans on a hot sunny day in the capital.
Corporate and Sports Participation
Companies that sponsored floats at the parade included Lidl, Tesco and Ikea, with the Swedish furniture brand's float carrying the message: "Love doesn't require instructions." London-based football teams including Arsenal, West Ham and Crystal Palace also had floats in the parade.
Activist Voices on Global and Local Issues
Activist Peter Tatchell said Fifa was "doing nothing" about 11 countries banning gay footballers at the World Cup. Speaking at the march, Mr Tatchell told the Press Association: "We're marching in London Pride today to highlight the fact that at the World Cup, which is ongoing right now, 11 countries ban gay footballers from their team – that's against Fifa rules, but Fifa is doing nothing."
The Australian-born activist added: "This year's Pride is as important as ever. Particularly now that Reform councils across the country are banning Pride flags … wanting to remove books from shelves. That is very dangerous, very threatening to all of us."
Long-Time Activist Reflects on Progress and Threats
Gay rights activist Julian Hows, 70, said the Pride in London march was important with "rights being taken away from trans people" in the UK. Speaking at the front of the parade, Mr Hows, who was expelled from school for early gay rights activism in 1971, told the Press Association: "Pride is important every year. I've been coming to Pride marches since 1972 when the policemen outnumbered the marchers."
Mr Hows, who wore a rainbow-coloured waistcoat with Abseil Against Section 28 and Gay Liberation Front pins, added: "Pride is also important because it needs to have an underlying level of protest, and you can see the freedoms that we have can so easily be taken away. We also always need to push further because there's always somewhere where our rights are being taken away. Whether it's in this country with Reform, whether it's this country with rights being taken away from trans people, whether it's abroad in other countries."
Urgent Calls for Action on Healthcare and Hate Crimes
A spokesperson for Pride in London said: "The urgency is clear: NHS gender-affirming care waiting lists now exceed four years in some regions while a comprehensive trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy remains uncodified into law despite a 2018 government pledge. At the same time, the community infrastructure LGBTQ+ people rely on is shrinking — since 2006, 58% of London's LGBTQ+ venues have closed. Together, these gaps in care, protection and safe spaces are unfolding amid continued hostility, with Home Office figures showing that more than 18,000 hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation were reported to police in 2025."
Looking Ahead to 2026
Pride in London interim chief executive Rebecca Paisis said: "We want 2026 to be the most inclusive Pride in London event yet. Our movement has always been built on many voices becoming one united front — from the people who marched in 1972 to those joining us for the first time this year. That's where our power lies. As LGBTQ+ people, we've never been strangers to adversity, but neither are we strangers to collective action. This year's campaign is a reminder that whilst the community often faces challenges in isolation, it is by coming together that we can change history."
Co-founder of Stonewall and LGBT+ activist Lisa Power said: "Adversity is meant to shatter us but it can make us stronger as it did in the 80s. Right now, we have a Government and institutions meant to defend our rights that are attacking trans people's rights, and the rest of ours will follow."
Pride in London is a majority volunteer-led organisation responsible for delivering the capital's flagship LGBT+ Pride parade and events since 2013.
