Pride festival 'will be safe for families'
ORGANISERS of this year's Bristol Pride festival insist their main event will be safe for families to attend, despite a heavily policed march by the English Defence League taking place the same day.
The main part of the We Are: Proud festival, which celebrates the city's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population, will be a parade and day-long event in College Green.
A quarter of a mile away, Queen Square is the end point of a controversial march by right-wing group the English Defence League to protest over what it calls the "Islamification" of Bristol.
A group of trade unions, community groups and anti-racist organisations called We Are Bristol will stage a counter demonstration to the EDL march opposite the Bristol Hippodrome at the same time.
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City council leader Simon Cook has already told the EDL, which describes itself as an anti-Islamist organisation, that it is not wanted in the city.
About 500 EDL members are expected to attend the march, which starts at Redcliffe Wharf, while around 1,000 police officers will be on duty.
After safety concerns from some people who had been planning to attend Pride, festival spokesman Daryn Carter urged people to still come along and support it.
Mr Carter said: "Pride is safe. The police are working very hard to ensure there is no trouble at all and no clashes. All eyes are on the police and the council.
"The good news is that they have moved the EDL march to the other side of the city centre and it will be later in the day than the Pride parade."
Originally, both events were due to take place late in the morning, with the Pride parade going from Berkeley Square to College Green and the EDL march going from Castle Park to Queen Square.
"There is a clear message coming from all corners," said Mr Carter. "That includes the EDL. They are not here to disrupt Pride.
"They say they are protecting gay rights – whether you agree with that or not is beside the point.
"One good thing coming out of all this is that lots of people are saying they will come along to Pride, because they want to show their support and combat prejudice. So our message is – it will be safe, please come along and support Pride."
After a free day-long festival at College Green, in the evening there will be a Pride Street Fiesta and an after-party at the O2 Academy.
For further information about the events, visit the website www.wearefest.com.
Comments
by Jonnyfandango
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 3:52PM
“@ Adair
You really are an unpleasant individual.”
by airhellair
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 2:59PM
“"I'd rather take my family to Kabul."
There you go - http://tinyurl.com/czwc8uh
Also, try and bring some British troops back with you. It's a pointless waste of lives while gutless UK politicians display more political willy than will....”
by TorysRule
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 1:31PM
“I'd rather take my family to Kabul.”
by Big_Gregory
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 1:17PM
“Will the EDL marchers be safe though? Three people in court today after last weeks arrests under the terrorism act - they allegedly plotted to attack an EDL march. I guess thats ok though as the marchers deserve it because freedom of speech and freedom for protest is the preserve of the far left!!”
by Pogo_T_Clown
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 10:47AM
“@Jonnyfandango
Hush your mouth! Everyone knows that the BEP is a bastion of rational, calm journalism, written by local reporters for local people.”
by Jonnyfandango
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 9:37AM
“Anyone would think the Post is trying to stir things up. Surely not?”
by CurtisHewitt
Tuesday, July 10 2012, 7:58AM
“You did this story yesterday.
http://tinyurl.com/cme855v
Somebody make it stop!... *sob*”