LGBT Muslims to join London Pride march

A group of LGBT Muslims and straight Muslim allies will participate in the annual London Pride parade on Saturday.

They will be part of veteran LGBT activist Peter Tatchell’s contingent and will show unity between LGBT and Muslim communities against all forms of hate.

According to the Peter Tatchell Foundation, the group will hold up placards with slogans such as:

“LGBT & Muslim Solidarity. Unite against ALL hate,” “Defend LGBT Muslims against EDL & Islamists,” and “Fight both homophobia & anti-Muslim prejudice. Solidarity!”

Tatchell said that, “In the wake of the horrific mass murder of LGBT people by an Islamist gunman in Orlando, we are highlighting the need for dialogue, unity and solidarity between the Muslim and LGBT communities…”

The contingent also aims to challenge homophobia in the Muslim community and defend LGBT Muslims against persecution by fellow Muslims. “We support Muslim liberals against the Islamist extremists,” said Tatchell.

“We condemn those who seek to demonise and scapegoat Muslim people, the vast majority of whom deplore terrorism as much as everyone else,” he added.

Tatchell helped organise the UK’s first LGBT Pride in 1972 and has marched in every parade since then.

This will be his 43rd Pride London parade (one year in the late 1970s there was no parade).

Arab activists from Iran and the African LGBTI Out and Proud Diamond Group will also be marching with the group.

Pride in London celebrates London’s LGBT+ community and culminates with the street parade, which is followed by free festivities and performances in Trafalgar Square. This year’s theme is #NoFilter, “letting people live their lives as they want to”.