Brighton and Hove Socialist Party members
Having been a commercial and increasingly de-politicised event for years, Brighton Pride 2012 was run privately after the Pride south east charity faced mounting debts.
A ‘Queers Against the Cuts’ bloc was organised by Brighton and Hove Socialist Party member Beth Granter. It aimed to include political slogans highlighting the impact of cuts and the need for a mass campaign against them.
As the parade was setting off a Pride steward aggressively ordered the bloc to leave if they did not move to the back, asking the police to kick them off the parade.
Beth explained: “Suddenly a row of police on horseback and foot ran into the middle of our group, and I was told I had to identify who was ‘officially’ in the group to be let through. As it was mainly organised online I didn’t know everybody’s faces. I managed to get most people out of the kettle but around 15 people were left behind.”
No reason seems to have motivated this attitude towards anti-cuts activists other than the fact we were displaying political slogans, including ‘pride not profit’ and ‘cut rents not benefits’.
If Brighton Pride will not allow the space to defend lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) rights then we must organise with trade unions, anti-cuts campaigners, LGBTQ activists and others to build an alternative, politicised Brighton Pride. This would be a celebration, but a celebration aimed at campaigning for LGBTQ liberation – against cuts and privatisation.
