Just Stop Oil threatens Pride parade disruption if demands are not met

United Airlines is Pride’s headline sponsor this year but the decision has faced backlash from environmentalists

Just Stop Oil has threatened to disrupt London’s Pride march if the parade does not stop accepting sponsorship money from “high-polluting industries” (PA) (PA Archive)

Climate campaigners Just Stop Oil have threatened to disrupt London’s Pride parade due to the involvement of the event’s sponsor United Airlines.

In a statement, LGBT+ members of the group also called on organisers to ban floats from those organisations in the parade – and condemn new oil, gas and coal.

In a letter written to a representative of Pride’s Board of Directors, JSO issued a series of demands ahead of any potential protest.

They called for clarity on where Pride sources its money from, a statement from the body to demand an end to new oil and gas, and for it to set up a meeting about joining in civil resistance to new oil and gas.

Just Stop Oil called the climate crisis “the biggest threat to LGBT+ rights” and had urged Pride to respond to their demands by 4pm last Thursday.

They said: “Beyond this time or not meeting these demands will mean we may or may not take action at this weekend’s events.”

The letter also demanded Pride consider “what ethical considerations are taken when deciding who to accept money from.”

In a statement made on Twitter after Pride’s 5pm deadline, Just Stop Oil confirmed that they had been in negotiations with Pride, demanding it “returns to its protest roots” by empowering queer people to “stand in civil resistance against their genocidal government.”

The group has said it may disrupt the Pride event (PA Wire)

Just Stop Oil later tweeted: “If you know the people that Pride is supposed to be about are marginalised, you should understand the climate crisis impacts marginalised people disproportionately and feel disgusted that Pride celebrations are being used to ‘pinkwash’ the same polluters causing the crisis.”

It comes as the Mayor of London was accused of ‘rainbow-washing’ by Green London Assembly Member Zack Polanski, after failing to criticise Pride’s decision to make United Airlines their headline sponsor.

Polanski said: “Last year, the Mayor agreed with me that Pride should be fossil free. Those who want to take part in Pride need to show leadership on climate.”

It comes after Jonny Bairstow of England removed a Just Stop Oil pitch invader during Day One of the Ashes 2nd Test earlier this week (Getty Images)

The 51st Pride event in London is set to begin at 12pm, beginning at Park Lane and ending at Whitehall. Take a look at this year’s full route here.

Around 1.5 million people are expected to take part in this year’s London Pride, with organisers saying its set to be bigger and better than before.

Just Stop Oil activists will gather at Parliament Square at 12pm today.

Three Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested over a pitch invasion at the Ashes on Thursday, with English cricket player Jonny Bairstow physically removing one of the protesters after spreading orange powder across the pitch.