Home / Lifestyle / Pride event faces abuse, but community support shines
Pride event faces abuse, but community support shines
5 Jun
Summary
- Bridgnorth Pride faces online abuse and vandalism.
- Organisers report torn posters and hateful social media comments.
- Community businesses show strong support through decorations and donations.
Bridgnorth Pride, an annual event established in 2024, has been targeted with personal and abusive comments on social media, alongside acts of vandalism such as torn posters. Organiser Huw Rees reported these incidents to the police, highlighting that other event banners remained untouched, suggesting a deliberate targeting of Bridgnorth Pride.
Rees believes this reflects a broader trend in the UK, fueled by hateful rhetoric and misinformation online. He urged those making abusive remarks to consider the impact on individuals. Despite the online negativity, Rees emphasized that Bridgnorth remains an inclusive and welcoming community, with numerous local businesses demonstrating strong support through rainbow decorations.
The event, scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026, aims to celebrate south Shropshire's LGBTQ+ community, providing a vital safe space, especially in the rural area where access to support can be difficult. Organisers are planning a 'rainbow parade' and a 'massive human rainbow' event. Proceeds from a tombola will go to the Bridgnorth Food Bank.
