Police appeal over ‘senseless’ damage to statues during trans rights rally

British police are appealing for information after seven statues – including one of suffragette Millicent Fawcett – were damaged with graffiti during a trans rights rally in London.

British police have made a plea for information relating to the vandalism of seven statues at a transgender rights’ rally on the weekend.

Thousands of pro-trans protesters marched in London on Saturday to voice their disgust at the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that transgender women are not defined as women because gender is based on biological sex.

On Sunday local time (Monday AEDT), the London’s Metropolitan Police service said officers were, “trawling CCTV footage from the surrounding area after statues were defaced with graffiti and are appealing to anyone who may have been in attendance with information”.

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Protesters gather in London after the UK Supreme Court ruling. Picture: Getty Images

Attendees gathered at Parliament Square in central London and in Edinburgh in Scotland on Saturday afternoon chanting, “JK Rowling is a fascist” and “not the courts, not the state, we decide our own fate”, while waving transgender flags and holding up placards that read, “trans lives are not up for debate” and “trans rights are human rights”.

A statue of English suffragette Millicent Fawcett holding up a sign that read, “courage calls to courage everywhere” was also among those statues vandalised during the protest with the words, “far right” and a love heart emoji scribbled on the statue.

The protest was organised by activist group Resisting Transphobia. Picture: Getty Images

Chief superintendent Stuart Bell who is heading up the investigation said in a statement: “Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.

“While the police support the public’s right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable,” the statement read.

“We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible. Working with the Greater London Authority (GLA) plans are underway to remove the graffiti but this requires specialist equipment and we are confident this will be done shortly”.

The “emergency” protest, organised by activist group Resisting Transphobia, was held after the UK’s highest court determined in a judgment delivered by Lord Patrick Hodge that, “the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 makes clear that the concept of sex is binary, a person is either a woman or a man”.

The judgment, determined by five judges, ruled that only women who are born female should be protected as women under British legislation.

Protesters gather in London’s Parliament Square following the UK Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex. Picture: Getty Images

Following the ruling, the Equality and Human Rights Commission declared that there would be an updated code of conduct for public services across the UK including the National Health Service and prisons which will impact women-only spaces including hospital wards and changing rooms.

Trans women with a gender recognition certificate may also be prevented from using women-only spaces including toilets and changing rooms.

JK Rowling last week posted on X her support of women’s rights after the Supreme Court decision was handed down and wrote, “ I love it when a plan comes together. #SupremeCourt #WomensRights”.

I love it when a plan comes together.#SupremeCourt#WomensRightspic.twitter.com/agOkWmhPgb

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 16, 2025

Trans woman Sam Goddard, 20, from Hampshire, attended the rally holding a sign that read, “that’s my choice” and told News Corp: “I’m here because I want to stand in solidarity with all trans people that is being affected by this new potential law that has been put in place.

“From my perspective if we are talking about a women’s toilet, I want to go to a women’s toilet to use the toilet and there’s nothing else malicious or evil about that no matter what people tend to stereotype or wish to portray trans women as”.

Kay Frost, 79, from London, also attended the rally wearing a transgender-coloured flag and holding a placard that read, “this mum said trans rights are human rights”.

She has a 32-year-old trans daughter who she said has been discriminated against.

“We’ve seen what she goes through and we’ve seen what it’s like for ordinary trans people who are not celebrities and not academics and don’t have a high income and maybe want to get an ordinary job in a shop,” Ms Frost said.

“We’ve seen what the impact is like of being excluded from legislation from using toilets and changing rooms and wards and so on”.