Derbyshire campaigner among Just Stop Oil activists charged over London Pride protest

Police made seven arrests at around 1.25pm on Saturday after demonstrators managed to briefly stop the march in Piccadilly,central London. Images posted on social media show protestors being removed by officers. Five of those held have now been charged with behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, a breach of Public Order Act 1986.

They are: retired librarian Ben Plumpton, 68, from West Yorkshire; Zosia Lewis, 22, of Newcastle; Oliver Clegg, 20, from Manchester; Callum Goode, 23, from Ashbourne, in Derbyshire, and Gosse Bootsma, 25, of no fixed address.

A Met Police spokesman said: "They were bailed to attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 4." He said two others arrested, men aged 19 and 22, have been released on bail.

Before the parade started, LGBTQ+ Just Stop Oil members called on Pride to stop accepting sponsorship money from what it branded 'high-polluting industries'.

At around 1:25pm, nine protestors blocked the Pride parade in front of the Coca-Cola float, halting the parade for around 17 minutes. Some supporters blocked the float while two others sprayed pink and black paint over the road. The pressure group said it targeted Coca Cola due to its reputation as 'one of the the world's worst plastic polluters'.

A spokesperson said Pride had failed to address their relationship with 'destructive industries' that use the event to 'pinkwash' their reputations. They added: "These partnerships embarrass the LGBTQ+ community, at a time when much of the cultural world is rejecting ties to these toxic industries.

"We call on Pride to remember the spirit in which it was founded and to respect the memory of all those who fought and died to secure the rights we now possess, whilst taking the necessary steps to protect our community long into the future."

Legendary LGBTQ+ rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: "Climate destruction is destroying communities, jobs, homes and lives across the world, especially in poorer countries. Our community must not collude with environment, species and climate destroying companies."