More party than protest, but great response to socialist ideas at Leicester Pride

London Pride 2011, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)

With over 10,000 attendees including 3,000 people in the parade, Leicester Pride was the largest the city has seen.

Although the atmosphere was definitely more in line with a party than a protest, people liked the Socialist Party's message that we need socialist change to truly win liberation.

Groups of more than five had to register with the organisers. This is unlikely to affect corporate delegations.

Large rainbow flags with corporate logos were visible all around. But such tactics might be used to keep organisations like us out, to further depoliticise pride.

We asked a Tory councillor during the march about his own party deporting LGBT+ people back to countries where people are killed for being gay. He said: "I've never thought about it like that."

We also campaigned for trans rights and the ability to self-identify your gender. Many people were enthusiastic to sign our petition.

We gave out 200 leaflets advertising a public meeting on the fight for trans rights and against austerity. We raised Ł68 for the fighting fund and sold 18 copies of the Socialist.

Jade Ritchie, Leicester East Socialist Party

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.