
Tom is the Travel Editor at Gay Star News. Previously…
LGBTI people joined a million marchers in the streets of London to demand a People’s Vote on Brexit.
Facing off against threat of rain, a million people from all over the country gathered in London on Saturday 23 March to send a message to the UK government.
This could potentially be the biggest protest in the history of the United Kingdom.
The march led everyone to Parliament Square, where a number of influential figures made speeches.
LGBTI people speak out
Before the official march began at 12pm, LGBTI people gathered for an individual rally. Scottish National Party MP Joanna Cherry and Member of the European Parliament Seb Dance made speeches to the gathered crowd.
Labour Trans Officer Heather Peto spoke also gave a speech about how transgender rights could be affected by Brexit: ‘By being at the table, we’ve been able to ensure LGBT rights across 28 European nations. And all members that are potentially joining the European Union have to come up to those standards.

‘But the UK mustn’t be arrogant and think they can protect their own minority rights without the EU. We’ve seen this with transgender rights. It was actually the EU and ECJ that made the ruling the UK was discriminating against transgender people at work.
‘That was the first time we got transgender equality at work.’
Among the protesters was a float with DJs, one of which was the co-founder of famous LGBTI club Horse Meat Disco, Jim Stanton. He told Gay Star News why he was participating in the march: ‘The whole thing was a scam. The poorest in our country will be hit the worst. I want a bright future for the kids. Remain and reform.’
Editor-in-Chief at Gay Star News, Tris Reid-Smith, asked the crowd: ‘Do you trust Jacob Rees-Mogg with our rights?’
Do you trust Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg or Andrea Leadsom with your rights? LGBTIs scream no as @trisrs wrapped up the rally before the #PeoplesVoteMarch which @gaystarnews supports https://t.co/bRnn1L5j87 pic.twitter.com/ApwmJeRgHM
— Jamie Wareham (@jamie_wareham) March 23, 2019
Presenter Sandi Toksvig spoke out on the main stage at Parliament Square: ‘Some say a second referendum is a threat to democracy. This is, what is happening today, thousands from across the land, this is democracy!’







Why a People’s Vote
The march comes as a result of years of mishandling Brexit by Theresa May and the Conservative government. The Prime Minister has attempted to put her much-maligned deal through Parliament twice, and both times it was defeated by large margins by both Remain and Brexit supporting members.
She is now attempting to put it to Parliament for a third time.
If the deal is not passed, the UK faces crashing out of the European Union with no deal. Many experts warned that a no deal could result in food and medicine shortages across the country.
This could spell widespread disaster for the LGBTI community.
The last People’s Vote March, held on 20 October 2019, was the second biggest march in UK history. The protest against the Iraq War in 2003 was the biggest. The estimated attendance to this march is higher than the other two.
But it’s not just LGBTI people and Londoners. People from all walks of life traveled to the British capital to send the message, with #PVRoadTrip among the many People’s Vote hashtags trending.
Parliament Square right now. What a sight.#PutItToThePeopleMarch pic.twitter.com/kXonQaAsqP
— People's Vote UK (@peoplesvote_uk) March 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/carolJhedges/status/1109367952816697350
Didn't want it in 2016. Don't want it now. It's not too late to stop the shit show that is #Brexit.#PeoplesVoteMarch ✊🏽 pic.twitter.com/0Zt2WpMSl9
— Nikhil Patel (@nikhi1) March 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/ASophieJones/status/1109444434566021123
https://twitter.com/razhael/status/1109444381067673600
See also:
https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/think-being-lgbti-has-nothing-to-do-with-brexit-think-again/#gs.2pv0h9
https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/gay-british-mp-attacked-in-the-streets-by-angry-brexit-voter/#gs.2pv05t
https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbti-people-demand-second-referendum-brexit-vote/#gs.2pv029