A 53-year-old woman has been arrested, police said, after an activist told a crowd at a trans pride event to punch gender-critical people in the face.
At the march in London on July 8, an activist was filmed apparently calling for protesters to “punch Terfs in the face”.
The Metropolitan Police said a woman had now been arrested on suspicion of incitement to violence in Westminster after a video of the incident was widely shared on social media.
Terf is an abbreviation for “trans-exclusionary radical feminist”, a term used to describe people who believe that a trans woman’s gender identity is illegitimate.
In the video, the activist was apparently seen telling a cheering crowd: “I was going to come here and be really fluffy, be really nice and be really lovely and queer and gay and laugh.
“But if you see a Terf, punch them in the f------ face.”
The incident occurred at the London Trans Pride march, which has been running since 2018 and this year was supported by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
When asked if Mr Khan supported the alleged comments, a spokesman said: “The mayor is a proud LGBTQI+ ally and has been clear in his support for the trans community. He is also clear that violence is never acceptable.”
There was an initial report to the Met over inciting violence, but an officer told a complainant that it was not in the public interest to pursue the case.
They said the call for violence was “hypothetical” and allowed under free speech laws.
The case was reviewed and on July 10 the force announced the investigation had been reopened.
The organisers of the march said that while they do not condone violence, many activists at the event “hold a lot of rage” which they “have the right to express” through words.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “A 53-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of Incitement to violence. She has been taken into custody.
“The arrest on 12 July is in connection with an incident during the Trans Pride event in Westminster on 8 July. A video was widely shared on social media.”
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July 13, 2023 at 11:52PM
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Arrest after activist told crowd at London Trans Pride to 'punch Terfs in the face' - The Telegraph
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