Fears Over Unofficial Brighton And Hove Pride Celebrations

Thursday, 30 July 2020 16:45

By Charlotte Baker @Ch4rtweets

There are fears that people will gather in Brighton and Hove on what would have been Pride weekend.

People wishing to celebrate Pride in the city are being urged to celebrate the event digitally this year.

The City Council, Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove Pride all relayed the message on Thursday (30) that there are no official events taking place over the weekend.

#Pride this year, means doing it differently, so we can all #StaySafe, but we will be #Fierce & #Proud online, read up about those brave activists who made our lives possible.

Join us watching Fabuloso!
Free, fun & PROUD https://t.co/8xB5lZKoGh #LGBTQ #QTIPoC #Sussex #Queer pic.twitter.com/Irmcqhm4H7
— Brighton & Hove LGBTQ (@LGBTQiWF) July 30, 2020

It's after reports of a number of Facebook events about unofficial beach and street parties.

Brighton and Hove Buses and Southern Rail have both joined the plea, but the train operator acknowledged that services may be busier than usual.

On 1-2 Aug trains to/from Brighton will be busy with reduced capacity to support social distancing.

Plan your journey. Wear a face covering. Prepare to queue.
@PrideBrighton have no events this year. Join #WeAreFABULOSO the digital festival ONLINE 👉 https://t.co/gPXrUzrClz https://t.co/Nq4oZb32tK
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) July 30, 2020

A spokesperson from Sussex Police said:

"Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there are no official Pride events happening in the city this year.

"Instead, we are urging people to celebrate Pride digitally here: https://www.brighton-pride.org/we-are-fabuloso/

"We would discourage anyone from attending unofficial events.

"If there is a serious risk to public safety, issues relating to alcohol, or excessive noise from music systems, we will consider confiscation and enforcement powers alongside our council partners.

"We are also urging everyone to continue to follow goverment guidance on social distancing."

•There are no official Pride events this weekend
•Instead, celebrate Pride virtually!
•Do not attend unofficial events, they may be unsafe or illegal
•Please respect gov guidance on social distancing
•Public transport will be significantly reduced, particularly after 10pm https://t.co/9TTr6JQPn4
— Brighton&Hove Police (@BtonHovePolice) July 30, 2020