Support for rural Pride event praised amid abuse

The organiser of a town's Pride event has praised the "support" of locals after facing abuse on social media.

Bridgnorth Pride, in Shropshire, has been taking place every year since 2024.

But the event has been the subject of "personal and abusive" comments online, and has seen posters advertising it torn down, Huw Rees said.

"It's clearly an attack on a community and it's just not right in 2026," said Rees, who has reported the torn-down posters to police.

"They have been cut down while other events' banners have been left up," he explained.

"There does seem to be some targeting of Bridgnorth Pride going on, unfortunately."

A West Mercia Police spokesperson said the force had received a report that banners for Bridgnorth Pride had been removed from Bridgnorth town centre.

"Further enquiries will be carried out to confirm if any criminal offences have been committed," they said. "We would urge the public to report any concerns to the police."

Rees, a member of the town council, which is not involved in the Pride event, said it was not the first time it had happened - bunting and posters were torn down in 2025.

He said he believed it was "a trend that we're seeing across the UK", fuelled, he stated, by "social media commentary, hateful rhetoric, and misinformation".

The annual event was about "celebrating our local LGBTQ+ community across south Shropshire," Rees said, adding the location had particular importance.

Bridgnorth, he explained, was an "incredibly rural community", and that made "it really difficult for local LGBTQ+ residents to access support".

The event was designed to "provide the community with a safe space to celebrate", he said.

He called on those making abusive remarks on social media to "consider the humans on the other side reading those comments".

But Rees is adamant that Bridgnorth has "always been an inclusive welcoming community".

"We're so well-supported by local businesses," he said, with a number of shops in the town decorating windows with rainbow ribbons and stickers.

"The hate you may see online is just from a small minority," he said.

"In reality, there is so much support."

Bridgnorth Pride 2026 takes place on Saturday 6 June, and is a free event involving a "rainbow parade" starting at the Cliff Railway and proceeding to the castle grounds.

This year, organisers are hoping to create a "massive human rainbow" with attendees dressing in different colours.

Local businesses have donated to a tombola, the proceeds of which are going to Bridgnorth Food Bank.

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