Just Stop Oil have stormed London’s historic Pride parade, after issuing threats to the LGBTQ+ event earlier this week.
Nine eco-warriors have blocked the capital’s Pride March today while calling for the annual event to condemn new oil, gas and coal.
At around 1:25pm, the group sat down in front of the festival’s Coca-Cola float, branding it ‘the world’s worst plastic polluter, accused of numerous human rights abuses’.
Their disruption comes as millions cloaked in rainbows and glitter headed to the event to mark 51 years since its first parade for LGBTQ+ rights in 1972.
A Just Stop Oil spokesman said: ‘Pride was born from protest. It speaks to how far we’ve come as a community, that high polluting industries and the banks that fund them, now see Pride as a useful vehicle for sanitising their reputations, waving rainbow flags in one hand whilst accelerating social collapse with the other.
Just Stop Oil have stormed London’s historic Pride parade, after issuing threats to the LGBTQ+ event earlier this week
‘It is queer people, and particularly queer people of colour in the global south, who are suffering first in this accelerating social breakdown. What would those who instigated the gay liberation movement, during the Stonewall riots in 1969, make of the corporatised spectacle Pride has now become?’
The anti-coal campaign has disrupted today’s festivities following talks with London Pride earlier this week.
This came as Just Stop Oil issued a letter, calling for the LGBTQ+ group to make a statement condemning new oil, gas and coal.
‘We also demand that they cease accepting sponsorship money from high polluting industries and stop allowing the inclusion of floats from these organisations in the parade,’ the group stressed.
‘These partnerships embarrass the LGBTQ+ community, at a time when much of the cultural world is rejecting ties to these toxic industries.
‘If London Pride fails to take these basic steps necessary to protect our community, we will have to consider potential escalations which may result in the disruption of Pride.’
Just Stop Oil gave Pride an initial deadline of 4pm on Thursday to respond to its demands, stressing that the LGBTQ+ campaign needed clarify where it sources its money.
But now, the eco-warriors claim that Pride has ‘so far failed to make a commitment to take necessary steps to protect the LGBTQ+ community from the unfolding climate collapse’.
The Just Stop Oil spokesperson continued: ‘These partnerships embarrass the LGBTQ+ community, at a time when much of the cultural world is rejecting ties to these toxic industries.
‘We call on Pride to remember the spirit in which it was founded and to respect the memory of all those who fought and died to secure the rights we now possess, whilst taking the necessary steps to protect our community long into the future.’
At 1pm LGBTQ+ members of Just Stop Oil set off on their own Pride-themed march from Parliament Square.
MailOnline has approached Pride for comment.
At around 1:25pm, the group sat down in front of the festival’s Coca-Cola float
Nine eco-warriors have blocked the capital’s Pride March today while calling for the annual event to condemn new oil, gas and coal
Crowds cloaked in rainbows will flood the nation’s capital this weekend for Pride
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan poses for a selfie before the Pride in London parade
More than a million will to take to the streets today in celebration of the historic event
The march is set to wind through the city’s major spots including Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly Circus before heading towards Pall Mall and Trafalgar Square
But festivities come just a day after eco-warriors at Just Stop Oil warned of hampering the historic event
While a parade will head towards Trafalgar Square, numerous stages are also dotted across the centre of London
Today’s Pride parade will see around 600 LGBTQ+ focused groups come together in celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender rights
Pride said: ‘All are welcome to attend and mark Pride with the other 1.5 million attendees’
Pride in London is an annual LGBT+ festival and parade held each summer in London
The Pride festival is a celebration of lesbian, gay, transgender, queer and bisexual rights
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan leading the Pride parade amidst celebrations today
Just Stop Oil outlined their demands for Pride in a tweet on Thursday
Today’s march was set to wind through the city’s major spots including Hyde Park Corner and Piccadilly Circus before heading towards Pall Mall and Trafalgar Square.
Around 600 LGBTQ+ focused groups are also due to come together in celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender rights.
Numerous stages are dotted across the centre of London and will host an array of famous performers including singer Adam Lambert and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Victoria Scone.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was also spotted celebrating at the even today, with revellers snapping pictures with him in the midst of the crowds.
Ahead of the event today, he described Just Stop Oil as a ‘really important pressure group’ and stressed that he supported the right to protest.
When asked what he thought of their threats to Pride, he said: ‘I am somebody who feels quite passionately that we have to tackle the climate emergency.
‘And I feel quite passionately about encouraging people to join the movement to tackle the climate emergency.
‘In my view, protest should be peaceful, lawful, and safe.’
Today’s Pride parade will see around 600 LGBTQ+ focused groups come together
Crowds clap and cheer as the parade heads through London
Many were pictured cheering on the parade as they marched through London’s hotspots
Crowds of people proudly hold rainbow flags as the march winds through the capital city
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk