Three people have been arrested after women’s rights groups and trans rights activists clashed 199 days after the Supreme Court’s transgender ruling.
A series of protests called ‘199 days later’ were organised by pro-women’s rights groups in Edinburgh and London on Saturday, sparking counter-demonstrations.
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In a collective statement the women demanded the Supreme Court transgender ruling be ‘implemented in full’ across all institutions in both local and national government.
It comes after the court announced that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex in a landmark judgment.
At the time, Lord Hodge said five Supreme Court justices had unanimously decided that ‘the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act refer to a ‘biological woman and biological sex’.
While recognising ‘the strength of feeling on both sides’, he cautioned against seeing the judgement as a triumph for one side over another, stressing that the law still gives trans people protection against discrimination.
In London, the demonstrations led by Grassroots Women kicked off in Parliament Square before concluding in a rally on Richmond Terrace.
Meanwhile, a counter-protest organised by Trans Kids Deserve Better was held in Victoria Embankment Gardens.
Trans Rights activists hold placards and display banners while taking part in a counter protest
Met Police take an individual into custody at today’s march in London
A trans rights activist holds up a placard which reads ‘None of us is free until all of us are free’ in Edinburgh
Three people have been arrested after women’s rights groups and trans rights activists clashed 199 days after the Supreme Court’s transgender ruling
In London today, Grassroots Women began in Parliament Square before ending in Richmond Terrace while Trans Kids Deserve Better organised a protest in Embankment Gardens
Three individuals have since been arrested, one on suspicion of criminal damage and two others for breaching Public Order Act conditions put in place by the Met Police.
In Edinburgh protests have been organised by women’s group Women Won’t Wheesht, with counter demonstrations led by Resisting Transphobia in Edinburgh (RTiE).
While the protests continued, women’s rights campaigner Maya Forstater aired her frustrations about their being ‘no guidance’ on the ruling.
‘We’ve been waiting seven months for guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. It’s been completed,’ she told GBNews.
‘Everyone needs to understand the law. And at the moment they’re saying there is no guidance.’
Elsewhere, Sex Matters campaign director Fiona McAnena said: ‘That’s why we’re here. We’re saying to stop waiting. It’s the law.’
A force spokesperson: ‘Met officers have arrested three people while policing two protests in Westminster on Saturday 1 November.
Further afield in Edinburgh protests have been organised by women’s group Women Won’t Wheesht, with counter demonstrations led by Resisting Transphobia in Edinburgh (RTiE)
Trans Rights activists hold placards and display banners while taking part in a counter protest in Edinburgh
Banners in London which read: ‘Hands off our bodies’, and ‘No pride for some without liberation for all’
Fiona McAnena Sex Matters campaign director said: ‘That’s why we’re here. We’re saying to stop waiting. It’s the law.’
‘The “199 Days Later” protest, organised by Grassroots Women, formed up at Parliament Square before concluding with a rally at Richmond Terrace.
‘A static counter-protest, led by Trans Kids Deserve Better, took place in Victoria Embankment Gardens. Conditions were put in place under s.14 Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption.
‘Officers made three arrests at the counter-protest, one on suspicion of criminal damage and two for breaching the Public Order Act conditions.
‘No further incidents were reported, both groups were kept apart at all times. The protestors have since dispersed.’
The Daily Mail has approached Trans Kids Deserve Better for comment.
