Thousands attend 25th anniversary of Brighton Pride

It set itself out to be a carnival of diversity and it certainly didn’t disappoint with people turning out from all over the world to celebrate Brighton Pride.

But the main event of course was the party in Preston Park, with the likes of Foxes, Ella Henderson and Fatboy Slim playing to a lively crowd into last night.

Yesterday’s parade encompassed the true meaning of Pride with a lively atmosphere reflecting Brighton’s welcoming arm.

Various floats and live music traversed from Hove Lawns all the way to Preston Park – onlookers took to the streets to get a piece of the flamboyant action.

BOMB HOAX

There was a slight blip with the parade – a suspicious package was discovered at The Bandstand at just after 11am.

Bomb squad officers carried out a controlled explosion and the celebrations were diverted via Western Road. A criminal investigation has begun.

Meanwhile there were 35 arrests on Saturday for offences related to drugs, robbery, assault and public disorder.

Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp who was the Gold commander for the day’s policing event said: “We believe the item was placed there deliberately and made to look like a suspicious device, in order to cause a disruption. We have started a criminal investigation to identify who did this.

“We were concerned enough to call in the bomb disposal unit, who after making a further assessment, carried out a controlled explosion. The area had been cordoned off and there was no risk to the public.

“We want to apologise for any disruption this caused and thank the Pride organisers, public and those taking part in the parade for their support and patience while we made the area safe and re-routed the parade. Their co-operation made dealing with this difficult incident easier.

“Despite the delay, we hope everyone enjoyed the Pride events across the city.”
The fine weather brought people in their tens of thousands to enjoy the day at the park and evening at the Pride Village Party in Kemptown.

CHANGING ATTITUDES

25 years on the events over the past two days highlight just how much has changed.

For many the parade, party in Preston park and village party are a chance for everyone to come united and embrace the transformation in attitudes.

At the heart of the celebrations in Preston Park were community groups and organisations from right across the city who, came together to reflect their commitment to supporting the LGBT community.