Warwickshire Pride calls emergency protest

Warwickshire Pride have called for an emergency protest in response to the Reform-led council’s consultation on potentially cutting Equality & Inclusion Partnership (EQUIP) funding. The protest is set to take place on Friday 22^nd May at 11.30am, on the same day that Warwickshire County Council are due to meet to consult on cutting funding EQUIP funding; a local organisation supporting victims of hate crime, handling discrimination cases, and other work in the equalities sector. The council meeting agenda will discuss the decision to consult on the proposed decommissioning of the Council’s Equalities Service.

The meeting on Warwickshire County Council will take place from 12pm on Friday 22nd May

In a post on social media, the organisers of Warwickshire Pride explained: “We know that the consultation is a box tick exercise because Reform councillors have already made their mind up. They want rid of EQUIP. This is Reform's latest attack on equalities as they push forward with their agenda to stop all equalities work at Warwickshire County Council.”

Warwickshire Pride will be joined in the protest by others from across the equalities sector locally, as well as councillors from other political parties. They then plan to sit in the public meeting as the consultation takes place to listen to the discussion and decision made by the Reform UK administration.

“This is an emergency and we need community power,” Warwickshire Pride adds. “We will have pride flags to hand to anyone who wants to wave one (because Reform loves a pride flag, right).

“Now is the time for direct action and fighting back against Reform's attempts to withdraw support and erase us.”

Those who can are encouraged to attend the protest that will take place on Friday 22^nd May from 10.30am, meeting outside Shire Hall, Warwick Square.