Complaint submitted against Sussex Police after protest disruption

Stephanie Davies-Arai is the founder and director of Transgender Trend, an organisation that addresses child gender dysphoria and calls for education in schools.

After attending the Let Women Speak event in Victoria Gardens, Brighton, on June 23, Stephanie submitted a complaint against Sussex Police and contacted the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne.

The free speech event was run by the activist group to allow free speech, with people taking the mic to voice their experiences and opinions.

The group focuses on the retention of "single sex spaces", such as toilets and changing rooms, and freedom of expression. 

Kellie Jay-Keen spoke at the event (Image: Andy Winter)

However, the event was met with controversy as a large crowd of trans-rights counter-protesters, Trans Liberation Front Brighton and Brighton Antifascists, turned up to disrupt the event.

Stephanie said: “There was a crowd of 150 to 200 people mostly dressed all in black who were making such a loud noise during the event.

“They were drumming, chanting and sounding a really loud siren.

“The police allowed them right up next to where the women were speaking.”

Stephanie stated that she was “not against protest”, but felt police should have done more to allow their public speaking event to run.

She said her campaign group held the event to speak about "really distressing events they have experienced".

Stephanie taking the mic at the Let Women Speak event (Image: Stephanie Davies-Arai)

Stephanie said: “There is a right to hold a public meeting and freedom of speech and it was a peaceful meeting. The protest made it impossible.

“The attitude from some of the police did feel like hostility. They did not want to speak, they were not very friendly.

“I didn’t feel confident that the police would protect me."

Stephanie said she wants the police to meet with her group.

"And I would like a public apology from them for the policing on that day," she said.

"We just want privacy and dignity in spaces that were single sex and now are not. We are not bigots.”

READ MORE: Strikes at five Sussex academies halted but dispute continues

Videos on X show police officers and vans forming a circle around the Let Women Speak event to barricade counter-protesters.

After the event, footage also shows officers ushering people inside the North Laine Bazaar and closing the doors, with counter-protesters sitting outside holding signs and Transgender Pride flags.

North Laine Bazaar expressed their "unwavering support, love and solidarity with the trans rights activists" in a statement on Instagram following this.

We contacted Sussex Police to request a response to the complaint submitted against them.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “We understand people have strongly-held views, and sometimes expect the police to intervene.

“We recognise and respect different communities, and want them to be safe and feel safe.

“However we have a duty to protect freedom of expression - including (in the words of the European Court of Human Rights) the right to express ideas ‘that offend, shock or disturb’ - as long as those expressing them stay within the law.

“Demonstrations are policed by trained protest liaison officers, impartially and without prejudice, and overseen by appropriately accredited senior commanders.

“Should peaceful protests begin to involve hate speech or anti-social behaviour, enforcement action will be taken.

“Investigations will also take place following the event to identify whether any criminality took place.”