The UK Independence Party (UKIP) still plans on sending activists to London’s gay pride parade next weekend, despite the event organisers banning the political party on the grounds of safety, Breitbart London can reveal.
On June 5th, Breitbart London reported that UKIP was officially banned from the parade in London, after a campaign against the party by political groups and full-time, left-wing LGBT activists, it appears that the organisers have caved.
LGBT campaigner Peter Tatchell, said it was “not appropriate” for either homosexual or straight members of UKIP to attend the march, and the event organisers, despite initially inviting UKIP, turned on their heel and said: “For this year we have reached the decision that UKIP’s application to join the Pride in London Parade, 27th June 2015, will be turned down. This decision has been made after careful consultation in order to protect participants and ensure the event passes off safely and in the right spirit, it has not been made on a political basis.
But a defiant statement to party members today read:
“As many people will be aware that LGBT* in UKIP was given an entry to participate at this years London Gay Pride Event taking place on Saturday 27th June 2015. This entry was subsequently rescinded by the organizer’s citing safety grounds, a reason which is widely accepted to be just an excuse to keep LGBT* in UKIP out of the parade.
“Despite this ban, LGBT* in UKIP do plan to show a presence, supporting LGBT rights, inclusion and equality, not to mention our right to be there. It is important that we get as many LGBT people from UKIP to attend, as there will be media interest in us.”
It is unclear at this point whether organisers will try and keep UKIP members away, if indeed they are able to identify them.