More than 100 people attended a public meeting outside Forest Gate railway station in response to attacks on Pride flags.

a group of people hold a banner that says 'Clapton FC against Terfs' — Photo: Neandra Etienne

More than 100 people attended a public meeting outside Forest Gate railway station in response to attacks on Pride flags.

These flags, added to pavements around the station by Newham Council in 2022 as part of its Community Assemblies, now People Powered Places, scheme, have been vandalised six times.

Jeandré Coetser, organiser and Forest Gate resident said: “Last year I attended a protest in Clapham where a gay couple were physically attacked and stabbed. A week before that a similar attack took place in Brixton. I do not want to see the same happen in Forest Gate.”

Using chalk, local residents of all ages drew on the flags and transformed their defacement into an image of love.

Members of the community took to the microphone telling the LGBTQIA+ communities “We stand with you.”

The public meeting is the latest in a series of actions.

Immediately after the flags were vandalised for a sixth time, a group of concerned residents came together to organise a response. The group, known as Queers + Allies, have been encouraging businesses on Forest Gate’s high street and local residents to display Pride flags to show solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ communities.

“We set up a response group because we believe it’s important to counter the recent attempts to cover up and deface our beautiful Pride flags. Our message is simple: Everyone is welcome – no hate in Forest Gate!”

The public meeting was supported by Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets National Education Union branches, Palestine Solidarity Campaign Newham and Stand Up to Racism Newham.

Police have launched an appeal to help identify the “hate crime” suspect after the three painted Pride flags were vandalised recently, on 23 and 26 June and 19 July. The flags have previously been vandalised on three other occasions since they were launched in June 2022

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