Pride celebrations in London scrapped for another year

The event attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year and the challenges of navigating Covid-19 guidelines for such a large scale event proved to difficult.

The celebration was supposed to take place on September 11.

In a video posted on YouTube, Christopher Joell-Deshields, executive director leading the Pride team in London, said: “Covid-19 has affected all of us, changing so much about how we live our lives and gather together in our communities.

“Pride, like all other major public events, has faced countless challenges with regards to safely holding one of the largest events in the capital.

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“I’m truly saddened to say that Pride in London won’t be happening in person this year.

“Last week was extremely challenging navigating the Government’s recently updated Covid-19 guidelines and legislation for large scale public events like ours.

“It became clear when working through final risk assessments that our event could not provide the level of mitigation expected from the local public health team and the Government.

“It would have meant losing the crucial parade and reducing the event to just two or three stages scattered across central London with limited tickets.

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“This goes against everything we want Pride in London to be, all that we have been so far.

“No parade, no protest, means no Pride. We cannot waiver from that commitment to you, our community.

“How are we meant to tell some people that they have tickets, and others they don’t?”

An important update from Pride in London about our 2021 event: https://t.co/37fskp8A50

— Pride in London (@PrideInLondon) August 6, 2021

He said the team will begin preparations for next year’s event as 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Pride in the UK.

He said: “As we can continue demanding queer visibility, unity and equality, we ask that the UK Government declare 2022 as a year of queer.

“Thank you to the volunteers, organisations and agencies who have been working hard for the past 15 months.

“And we’re also looking forward to marching and sharing their voices unapologetically.

“You have my deepest respect, and our community’s love. Please support queer venues, spaces, artists, and performance this September.

In 2020, Pride celebrations were moved online amid the coronavirus pandemic, while smaller crowds than usual took to the streets of London.