Brighton Pride celebrations disrupted by protests

Brighton’s annual Pride Parade started promptly at 11 am on Saturday, leaving from Hove Lawns. Colourful floats with their jubilant riders paraded through the city, adding vibrancy to notable landmarks such as the i360, the Brighton Centre, and North Street. The parade, featuring over 100 charities, community groups, emergency services, representatives from the NHS, and various small businesses, attracted thousands clad in Pride flags, cowboy hats, angel wings, and glitter—a testament to the cultural vibrancy of Brighton and Hove.

Spectators filled the streets, balconies, shop doorways, and even beach huts decorated for the celebration. Dance troupes and musicians provided entertainment with a medley of pop tunes, drum beats, and samba rhythms as the procession advanced to Preston Park for the festival Fabuloso.

However, the festivities encountered interruptions from protesters targeting the inclusion of Coca-Cola in the parade. The company is currently under consumer boycotts due to the conflict in Gaza. Demonstrators halted the parade twice, first on West Street and later near the Royal Pavilion, surrounding the Coca-Cola bus while chanting “boycott.”

Police intervened, creating a protective circle around the vehicle, facilitating the safe departure of its passengers, and diverting the rest of the parade. The bus was eventually extricated from the blocked area, allowing the parade to continue without further hitches to Preston Park.