Men burn Pride flag, threaten knife attack at picnic for trans people in Manchester
Trans Mutual Aid Manchester condemned the "disgusting display of impunity and hatred" after assailants threatened to "violently assault" one attendee with a knife
Assailants targeted a community event for trans people in Manchester last Thursday by burning a Progress Pride flag and threatening to “violently assault” an attendee with a knife, organisers claim.
The picnic took place last Thursday at Platt Fields Park for five hours from 3pm, and was interrupted by groups of men on two separate occasions.
In a statement posted to Instagram the following day, a representative for Trans Mutual Aid Manchester (TMAM) said the first encounter involved a pair of men, and the second a trio of men, one of whom “ran off with … Trans and Non-Binary pride flags.”
School below to read the statement in full.
The incidents were “reported immediately to the police, but we do not expect any positive outcome from this,” TMAM added.
“To those outside the trans community, we hope this can be something of a wake-up call to know the kind of rampant abuse we face by those who know they can attack us freely,” they said.
“A disgusting display of … impunity and hatred”
While clarifying that “no one in our community was physically harmed,” organisers went on to decry “the disgusting display of the impunity and hatred with which parts of our society treat their trans siblings.”
TMAM describes itself online as “a grassroots mutual aid group, redistributing resources and providing support to trans and nonbinary people in Greater Manchester, UK.”
Attitude has contacted the Mayor of Greater Manchester, and the Greater Manchester Police for comment, while also reaching out to Trans Mutual Aid Manchester.
Trans Mutual Aid Manchester’s message in full
“We had hoped today to be sharing news of a joyous day spent at our Trans Picnic in the Park community event, and whilst we were exceptionally glad to see everyone join us in sharing the sunshine and lovely food, we cannot ignore what also occurred yesterday.
“Two separate times during our picnic, sat peacefully in Platt Fields Park, we were approached by groups of young men, intent on harassing, intimidating, and threatening our friends and picnic-goers. The first pair tore down a Progress Pride flag we had raised to show where we were to people coming to the event, and after threatening to violently assault one of our members with a knife, had his partner burn the flag infront [sic] of our group, before leaving.
“In the second incident another group of three men approached our picnic area, shouting abuse, and tore down the remaining Trans and Non-Binary pride flags that we had next to us, and ran off with them out of the park. Both of these incidents were reported immediately to the Police, but we do not expect any positive outcome from this.
“Whilst thankfully no one in our community was physically harmed, thanks in part to the intervention of several of our members, this blatant attack on our right to feel safe as a community is a disgusting display of the impunity and hatred with which parts of our society treat their trans siblings. This was an obvious attack on our community, perpetrated by those who know they will face no reprecussions [sic] for their attack, and Trans Mutual Aid Manchester cannot strongly enough condemn this sort of violent intimidation.
“To those outside the Trans community, we hope this can be something of a wake-up call to know the kind of rampant abuse we face by those who know they can attack us freely.
“Trans Mutual Aid Manchester will not stand for this, and we call on those outside our community to take steps to defend us, and to those within our community we promise that we will be taking increasing steps to ensure the safety and security of our events and our community.
“We do not tolerate intolerance.”