London Bridge station’s LGBT+ History Month display was vandalised earlier this week. (Network Rail)
A collage of Pride flags at London Bridge railway station has been vandalised just days before it was due to be removed.
The Pride Pillar, at London Bridge station, celebrates LGBT+ History Month and features an array of different LGBTQ+ flags representing different facets of the community. It was also the scene of a protest by ‘gender critical’ campaigners earlier in the month.
A Network Rail spokesperson confirmed to PinkNews that the Progress Pride flag had been torn down from the collage on Monday (19 February). The Progress Pride flag includes extra stripes and symbols to better represent trans and non-binary people, people of colour and intersex people.
Officials are currently reviewing CCTV footage and have increased patrols to ensure no further vandalism to the installation.
“As a temporary installation to mark LGBT+ History Month, the display is due to be removed at the end of February,” the spokesperson said.
The display was created in association with Archway, the railway infrastructure company’s employee network for queer inclusion, as a way to educate people on the various LGBTQ+ flags and identities.
The bisexual, pansexual flag and polyamory flag are among those that can be seen below a Pride and a Progress Pride flag.
When announcing the exhibit, Network Rail said it hoped the display would help “prevent confusion and misunderstanding about identity” and “act as a discussion point to tackle LGBT issues”.
However, the exhibit was the target a backlash from “gender-critical” and anti-trans groups, who accused Network Rail of a “cheap and performative stunt”.
Let Women Speak – a group started by anti-trans pundit Posie Parker, also known as Kellie-Jay Keen – protested on 2 February, holding “I heart JK Rowling” signs and calling for the display to be removed.
Several stickers, displaying the “adult human female” dog-whistle phrase, were placed on the Progress Pride flag. They were later removed.