50 years since the first Gay Pride March (Free event)

Where are we today with Pride and Pride marches? Well, London is struggling to emerge from the militarisation of its main Pride event in 2019. During the event, an armaments company was allowed a mobile cinema, advertising warplanes being sold to the Saudis for deployment against civilians in the Yemen.

This year, two entirely demilitarised central London Pride parades will take place on 1 & 2 July, and there'll be local Pride events with all the fun of a fair. The concept of Queer Pride flourishes even where new governments have been seeking to pedal back into enforcing shame.

One example is Poland, whose government is self-harming with assaults on its own judiciary, on women's reproductive rights, and on LGBT+ people. Polish cities, together with allies from other countries, will hold Pride events throughout this spring, summer and autumn.

Ever since two students brought the Gay Liberation Front from New York to London - and therefore to Europe - in 1970, the core principle of Pride survives. The first Pride March in Europe was in central London on 1 July 1972 from Trafalgar Square to Speakers Corner. Andrew Lumsden was there....

Photo Credit: Peter Tatchell Foundation