Jewish bloc to return to this year’s Pride in London march

A Jewish bloc will return to this year’s Pride in London march, with organisers introducing new measures aimed at strengthening inclusion and safety amid rising antisemitism in the UK.

The bloc will be organised by The Hineni Project and Sapphic Shabbat, marking a shift after nearly a decade of coordination by KeshetUK. The change comes as KeshetUK refocuses on training and education work, including its recently launched Belonging in Ritual Project.

As part of discussions between KeshetUK and Pride in London, organisers have agreed to work with the Community Security Trust (CST) to provide antisemitism awareness training. The training is intended to help ensure the safe and inclusive participation of Jewish LGBTQ+ marchers and their allies.

KeshetUK has withdrawn from the last two Pride in London celebrations, accusing event organisers of failing to support the safety of Jewish LGBT+ participants amid a rise in antisemitism and hate crime.

A Keshet UK spokesperson said at the time: “British LGBT+ Jews deserve the space to celebrate our identity alongside all other LGBT+ people in the UK. We are hugely disappointed in Pride in London. We hope that Pride in London will reflect on the fact that, for two years now, KeshetUK has felt forced to withdraw.”

Discussing its return, Ariel Chapman, executive director of KeshetUK said: “We are really pleased to have had constructive conversations with Pride in London about Jewish inclusion, including the importance of antisemitism awareness and understanding the issues that can affect Jewish participants during the march. I’m also delighted that the stewardship of the Jewish bloc will move to two fabulous social organisations who are well placed to organise the day. We wish them all the best and look forward to marching alongside them.”

The Hineni Project and Sapphic Shabbat said: “Following two challenging years, the return of a visible and confident Jewish presence at Pride reflects both the resilience of our community and the importance of ensuring that Pride is a space where everyone can participate safely and openly. We are grateful to KeshetUK for their years of leadership and advocacy, which have helped make this moment possible. We look forward to marching together in a spirit o