Over the Easter weekend, a large-scale protest erupted in London, sparked by a recent Supreme Court ruling that redefines sex as a biological category, drawing sharp reactions from trans-activists.
The decision, which overturned the Scottish government’s policy, means that legal protections for women under the 2010 Equality Act will not extend to individuals who self-identify as women, even with a gender recognition certificate, unless they have undergone gender reassignment surgery.
On Saturday, April 19, demonstrators rallied against what they called an assault on transgender rights, describing the ruling as “trans genocide.” Their protest, however, escalated tensions, fueling claims of a “two-tier policing” system, where activism aligned with the “correct” political line seems to attract less scrutiny from authorities.
Protesters were seen carrying banners with provocative slogans, such as “The only good TERF is a dead one,” and calling for controversial figures like J.K. Rowling to be “burned.” Some activists even resorted to bizarre acts of defiance, including public urination — referencing the debate over whether trans women should have access to women’s bathrooms. Demonstrators also defaced public monuments, including a statue of Nelson Mandela, and vandalized the suffragette Millicent Fawcett statue with graffiti that read “Fag Rights.”
The crowd heard from speakers like Sarah Jane Baker (formerly Alan), a convicted felon who has previously made headlines for advocating violence against TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists).
Unlike recent protests related to migration or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the police response was notably restrained. While Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the vandalism as “unacceptable,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was away on vacation, has yet to weigh in on the incident.
Despite this setback for the “self-ID” movement, trans-activists have vowed to continue their demonstrations in cities across the UK, with upcoming rallies planned in Liverpool, Coventry, and York next weekend.
