Therapist offers free support to LGBTQs threatened with knife attack at trans picnic
"Waiting lists are long, therapy's expensive and if people couldn't access a space to process what happened, I wanted to offer that" therapist Tash Wild tells Attitude
A therapist has offered free sessions to LGBTQs present at a picnic for trans people in Manchester, after the event was targeted by men, including one who threatened a knife attack.
The picnic, organised by Trans Mutual Aid Manchester (TMAM) and which took place last Thursday (3 April 2025) at Platt Fields Park, was allegedly intercepted by two groups of men.
One of the men burned a Progress Pride flag while another stole a trans flag; another threatened to “violently assault” an attendee with a knife.
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.”
Responding to TMAM’s statement about the incident on Instagram, therapist Tash Wild wrote: “Anyone who was there if you need a space to talk about and process what happened I will make a session space available for a call.”
“There is at least as much love on the world as there is hatred”
Wild subsequently told Attitude of the gesture: “Whilst nobody was physically injured at the incident, these sorts of events leave lasting impacts on people, including heightened anxiety, reduced self-esteem, and feelings of alienation.
“It highlights the ongoing struggles many within the trans community face in just trying to exist in public spaces without judgment or violence. The understandable fear that many trans people feel in public spaces leaves people isolated and unable to engage with the world around them which is part of what makes this incident even more upsetting – that it happened in one of the small opportunities that were created for trans people to form community and connect with each other.”
Wild continued: “It felt important to me to reach out and offer some free therapy sessions for a few reasons but largely as a solid reminder to the people there that that there is at least as much love on the world as there is hatred. Whilst some extreme individuals were intent on causing harm there will be many more people wanting to offer help. And as a therapist this is what I could offer. I know that waiting lists are long and therapy is expensive and if people couldn’t access a space to process what happened I wanted to offer that to try to reduce any long lasting impacts they might have from the incident. It feels crucial for society to acknowledge these incidents, confront the root causes of transphobia, and work to create spaces where everyone, regardless of gender identity, feels safe, valued, and respected.”
Attitude has contacted the Mayor of Greater Manchester, and the Greater Manchester Police for comment, while also reaching out to Trans Mutual Aid Manchester.
Update:
In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: “We have been made aware of an incident after a Progress Pride Flag was set on fire and three other pride flags were stolen on Thursday 3 April in Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield.
“We have opened a crime report and local neighbourhood officers have launched an investigation into arson, theft and hate crime.
“Neighbourhood Inspector Ian Haselden of GMP’s South Manchester district, said: ‘We take all reports of this kind of criminality very seriously and we are now working with the community to investigate this incident and support victims or anyone who may have been affected by this.
‘Our local neighbourhood team have been investigating all potential leads by reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to potential witnesses and we are appealing for any members of the public who have information to come forwards and speak to us to assist our enquiries.
‘If anybody knows anything or has any footage that may be of assistance to our investigation, I urge you to get in touch, whether it’s big or small, it could greatly assist our investigations.‘
“Information can be passed to us by contact us or via our LiveChat facility through gmp.police.uk or 101 quoting log 3857 of 07/04/2025 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”