The latest news, updates and events in Birmingham
Dozens of pro-Palestine demonstrators staged a powerful protest in Birmingham today (May 25) to coincide with the Birmingham Pride parade amid controversy over the event’s headline sponsor. The West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign (WMPSC) held a ‘die-in’ outside the Bullring shopping centre as the Pride parade passed by, to bring attention to the recent war on Palestine.
LGBTQ+ groups have renewed calls for a boycott of Birmingham Pride this weekend in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Activists are urging members of the community to boycott the event until organisers sever ties with headline sponsor HSBC, who they claim is funding arms sales to Israel.
Years and Years’ frontman Olly Alexander has attacked corporations for exploiting the rainbow flag and LGBT+ community during Pride Month, describing them as “icky”, “embarrassing” and “sh*t”. Sharing a photo of an email his manager was recently sent, the lead singer of the British synth-pop band accused companies of only doing the “bare minimum” by slapping the…