Home secretary calls trans rights messages left on London statues ‘disgraceful’

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has addressed the trans rights protest in London over the weekend by condemning graffiti found on several statues along the route.The secretary of state branded messages of trans solidarity on the statues of several influential figures, including South African prime minister Jan Smuts, “disgraceful.”The Metropolitan Police said it was investigating several acts of vandalism after an “emergency demonstration” was held following a Supreme Court decision clarifying that the legal definition of women does not include trans women.

Thousands gathered in the capital following the Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex. (Ben Montgomery/Getty Images)Thousands of trans and non-binary people, as well as various allies, came together across central London to condemn the 16 April ruling, which argued the characteristic of “sex” under the 2010 Equality Act refers to “biological sex.”Experts and non-profits have warned the ruling could have a wide range of implications that are especially harmful to the trans community, particularly in the way that government institutions and public bodies manage inclusion in single-sex spaces.



Met Police chief calls graffiti ‘senseless and unacceptable’Following the protest, Met Police chief superintendent Stuart Bell said the “criminal damage” to several statues along the route was under investigation and, he said, “has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.”“While the police support the public’s right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable,” he continued. “We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible.

”Cooper welcomed the Met Police’s investigation in a statement to the BBC, saying she plans to strengthen the law to “better respect and protect important memorials.”Protective film wrapped over the base of a statue where trans rights slogans have been tagged. (Getty)Statues of Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Suffragette Millicent Fawcett were among those tagged with messages such as “trans rights are human rights.

”“Criminal damage like this, including to statues of men and women who fought for freedom and justice ...

is disgraceful,” she said. “It is right that the police are investigating.“We are strengthening the law to better respect and protect important memorials.

Freedom of speech and protest are important in our democracy, but this kind of criminal damage is completely unacceptable.”Police said that the densely populated area has made it difficult to find those who tagged the statues, but said it continues to investigate.The Greater London Authority added that it plans to remove the trans rights graffiti, which it said it is confident “will be done shortly.

” Pictures of the statues shared via Getty Images suggest that, at the time of reporting, work is already underway.Plans by the government to better protect statues of influential figures in the UK have been discussed since 2020 after the statue of slave-trader Edward Colston was toppled and rolled into a nearby Bristol harbour.The post Home secretary calls trans rights messages left on London statues ‘disgraceful’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

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