Police move lesbians on at Pride march after trans row

PRIDE celebrations descended into a row after police removed a group of lesbians from a march during a “confrontation” with trans supporters.

Footage on social media showed tensions at a rally in Cardiff as rival groups shouted at one another.

Videos show members of Get The L Out UK, which calls itself a “grassroots lesbian feminist activist group”, being asked to leave by a police officer.

Some women carried banners which said “transactivism erases lesbians” and “lesbians don’t like penises”.

In the video, one woman is heard telling a police officer: “I want to make sure that I understand that you’re removing lesbians from an LGBT march.”

The officer responds: “Yes, that is what’s happening. For your safety. For other people’s safety. That’s why.”

Get The L Out UK later claimed police “failed” to protect them on Saturday. But Pride Cymru, which organised the main event, said the group was not a registered part of the march.

They said: “Despite a small group interrupting the march, they were drowned out by the shouts of solidarity from the community and spectators.

“There is no place for hate at Pride. And as our parade said today loudly and clearly: ‘Trans rights are human rights’.”

It comes amid a debate around trans rights, with “gender critical” activists arguing that trans women should not be included in women’s spaces. Transgender people say this is discriminatory.

South Wales Police said: “Officers engaged with a small protest group who had assembled to block the procession.

“To ensure no further disruption to the event, officers asked the group to move to an alternative location nearby which they agreed to do.

“Officers explained why they needed to move, provided guidance about protesting lawfully and offered to facilitate a lawful protest. The group was cooperative and left the area shortly after.

“Contrary to some social media reports, nobody was arrested or forcibly moved.”