London 'Reclaim Pride' Draws 2,500 Marchers

More than 2,500 participants joined forces for the UK's first-ever "Reclaim Pride" March, held on July 24. Organized by collaborative efforts among several prominent human rights organizations, the march echoes New York City's Reclaim Pride Coalition and Queer Liberation March, which launched in 2019.

According to a press release by the Peter Tatchell Foundation, the UK's community-led Pride was "both a celebration and a protest for LGBTI+ rights, with five key LGBTI+ demands." Other participating organizers included UK Black Pride, Diva magazine, Lesbian Visibility Week, London Trans Pride and Stand Up To LGBTQ+ Hate Crime, among others.

"The Reclaim Pride march mirrored the community-focus and liberation themes of the UK's first Pride march in 1972, which I and 40 others helped organize," said Tatchell. "It was my 50th London Pride parade. We've set a precedent for a successful alternative to the way Pride in London has become commercialized and depoliticized."

Tatchell is the subject of a new documentary, "Hating Peter Tatchell," which chronicles his more than 50 years of controversial activism.

Watch EDGE's live interview with Peter Tatchell here.

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah of UK Black Pride added, "We are here to remind one and all that until racism, transphobia and homophobia are eradicated, there will be no liberation for any of us."

Reclaim Pride brought attention to five major causes, including a ban on LGBTQ conversion therapy, reform of the UK's Gender Recognition Act, establishing the UK as a safe haven for LGBTQ refugees, an international call to decriminalize LGBTQ people worldwide, and solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Linday Riley of DIVA and Lesbian Visibility Week concluded, "This proves you don't need corporate sponsors to put on a brilliant Pride event."