The Terrorism Threat Posed to Pride Events

• Terrorist actors have previously demonstrated the intent and capability to conduct attacks against Pride-related events in the UK, including: 

• • 2024 – Swansea – On 19 September 2024, Alex Hutton, 19, attacked a transgender woman using mixed martial arts. Hutton held extreme racist, transphobic, and homophobic views. Videos encouraging and glorifying Extreme Right-Wing related-terrorism were found on Hutton’s phone by police. Hutton was later sentenced to five years in prison.{1}

• • 2020 – London – On 09 July 2020, Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 29, was sentenced to life imprisonment after he plotted to conduct a Bladed Weapons and Firearms attack at London attractions including Madame Tussauds and London Pride. Chowdhury was inspired by an Islamist ideology.{2}

• • 2017 – Cumbria – On 30 May 2018, Ethan Stables, 20, of Cumbria, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after he plotted to conduct a Bladed Weapons attack using a machete against guests attending a Pride Night for Barrow’s LGBTQIA+ support group. Prior to his arrest, Stables promoted homophobic, racist, and Nazi views online.{3}

• • 1999 – London – David Copeland, 22, conducted three Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks in London over a two-week period. One attack targeted the Admiral Duncan Pub, a popular location for London’s LGBTQIA+ community, and killed three individuals and injured 48 more. Police later found two Nazi flags hung on Copeland’s bedroom wall, alongside newspaper clippings from his previous attacks. Copeland’s trial revealed that he intended to ignite a race war across Britain through his attacks.{4}

• Terrorist actors have previously demonstrated the intent and capability to conduct attacks against Pride-related events globally, including: 

• • 2024 – US – In May 2024, US officials warned that foreign terror organisations could attempt to target LGBTQIA+ events around the world during Pride Month. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) noted that messages from Islamic State group in February 2023 included rhetoric against LGBTQI+ events and venues.{5}

• • 2023 – Austria – On 17 June 2023, three teenagers adhering to an Islamist ideology were arrested in Austria after they plotted to conduct a firearms attack against an annual LGBTQIA+ Pride parade in Vienna. The individuals reportedly also plotted a Vehicle as a Weapon attack and were arrested shortly before the event. A foreign intelligence service is said to have provided the tip-off about the suspects and their plot.{6}

• • 2022 – Norway – On 25 June 2022, Zaniar Matapour, 44, conducted a marauding firearms attack against two bars in Oslo. The attack took place during Pride celebrations in the Norwegian capital. Two men were killed and another nine people suffered bullet wounds. The Oslo District Court stated that “the attack undoubtedly targeted gay people” and sought to “instil fear in LGBTQ people more broadly”.{7}

• • 2016 – US – On 12 June 2016, Omar Mateen, 29, conducted a firearms attack at Pulse, an LGBTQIA+ nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Mateen swore allegiance to Islamic State and stated that the attack was motivated by US-led interventions in Iraq and Syria. 49 people were killed and 53 were wounded. Islamic State claimed responsibility to the attack.{8}

• It is almost certain that terrorist actors would have the intent to conduct attacks against events held during Pride Month in the UK. 

• It is highly likely that any terrorist attack conducted against events held during Pride Month in the UK would be conducted by an individual or small cell (approximately 2-3 individuals) using a low-sophistication methodology (E.g., Bladed or Blunt Force Weapons, Vehicle as a Weapon, Fire as a Weapon). 

• It is almost certain that any terrorist attack conducted against events held during Pride Month in the UK would be conducted by those who adhere to an Extreme Right-Wing or Islamist ideology. It is almost certain that opposition to progressive ideas surrounding sexual orientation and gender-identity is a unifying ideological tenet of both Extreme Right-Wing and Islamist terrorism. 

• It is likely that increased cultural polarisation and developments in diversity and inclusion in the UK would act as a driver of Extreme Right-Wing and Islamist terrorism threat in the long term. This is almost certainly due to the ideological belief that non-conservative, progressive social and cultural movements are a threat to the ideological objectives of both groups. 

• It is highly likely that any terrorist attack conducted against a Pride event in the UK would target crowds at publicly accessible locations (E.g., Marches, Parades, Festivals, etc.). There is a realistic possibility that terrorist actors could prioritise the use of Vehicle as a Weapon to conduct attacks against the build-up of crowds at events held during Pride Month in the UK.  

• Although it is highly likely that terrorist actors would prioritise attacks against large-scale Pride events with national recognition, there is a realistic possibility that smaller-scale, community events could also be targeted by actors with malicious intent (E.g., Local Fairs, Markets, Pub Events, etc.).E.g., On 28 July 2024, two men set fire to pride flags on a stall at a market in Norwich, UK. The individuals also reportedly set fire to business premises in proximity to the market. Up to £10,000 of damage was allegedly caused to a shop. Although not designated as terrorism, the incident was treated as arson and as a hate crime.9 

• Although it is highly unlikely that any such incident would be designated as terrorism, there is a realistic possibility that Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) protest groups could have the intent to conduct protest activity at events held during Pride Month in the UK. 

• There is a realistic possibility that there could be a heightened threat to events held during Pride Month that involve the attendance of high-profile individuals. E.g., It is highly likely that terrorist actors would have the intent to conduct attacks against a high-profile LGBTQIA+ performer and their associated crowd or high-profile political individuals who publicly express support for the LGBTQIA+ community. 

As Pride month approaches, thousands of people will be coming together at events taking place across the country, to celebrate a diverse community.  

Increased crowds gathering at Publicly Accessible Locations offer attractive targets for terrorists. No matter the size of the Pride event, everyone has a role to play in keeping these events safe and enjoyable, whether you are an event goer, or an event organiser.   

When attending Pride events, everyone should stay alert, and if something does not feel right, you are encouraged to: 

• Report any suspicious behaviour online at: gov.uk/ACT,  
• Inform event security, event staff or a police officer, 
• In the event of an emergency, call 999. 

If you’re organising an event, Counter Terrorism Policing have recently launched their summer campaign & event toolkit, which includes specific Pride event resources. The campaign includes guidance on how to effectively encourage the public to stay alert whilst they enjoy events like Pride, with an aim of ensuring that everyone is confident in reporting any concerns. The guidance includes:

• Online through your social media posts.
• Posters or digital screens around your event site.
• Effective awareness training with event staff.  

Other practical steps to facilitate safety at Pride events that could be considered, if proportionate to the type of event you’re organising, include: 

• Understanding more about the current terrorism threat and the types of threats that could impact you. The inclusion of a terrorism threat briefing during pre-event staff preparations can be an effective way to raise staff awareness. 

• Make use of low cost, simple, yet effective risk mitigation measures by following best practice advice on ProtectUK. 

• Ensuring that all staff and event volunteers know how to respond in a timely manner if something suspicious is reported to them, or if there is an emergency. 

• Train staff with easy and free to complete ACT e-learning sessions.  

• If you have an event website, ensure this has a dedicated security page, highlighting quick tips for event goers, encouraging them to report concerns and pre-warning them of any security checks that may be taking place on entry to the site.  

• Conducting security searches of your event site, prior to the event beginning, and ensuring that staff can recognise suspicious packages. The H.O.T. protocol is useful to implement, to help identify suspicious items: 

• • Hidden;
  • Obvious e.g. suspicious wires, or;
  • not Typical of the environment. 

• Making use of low-cost risk mitigation measures. For example, utilising existing street furniture, or closing roads in coordination with the Local Authority, as forms of vehicle deterrence. 

• Consider how effective communication will occur across your site in the event of an emergency, and how event goers will be alerted to danger, such as access to a loudspeaker held by event staff. 

If you require more support in making your Pride event safe, speak to your local Police Liaison Officer, or, your dedicated Counter Terrorism Security Advisor.

Intelligence Cut-Off Date: 9 May 2025