By Sophie Molly
Nottingham, UK — A woman was issued a police direction to “leave a locality” at Central Police Station in Nottingham yesterday after intervening in what she described as the harassment of elderly people by a far-right protester.
Gemma (she/her), who identifies as cisgender, was out shopping with a friend when she noticed a man filming a couple outside the station. Speaking to Transvitae, she described the man’s behaviour as “harassing some random old people.”
“I told him to leave them alone,” Gemma said. “Then he shoved the camera in my face. I pushed it away, and the next thing I knew, a group of police officers grabbed me and arrested me.”
Gemma was taken into a room inside the police station. “They didn’t take anything off me, didn’t take a statement. He [the officer] wouldn’t listen to me,” she said. After the brief detention, she was issued a direction to leave the area.
According to Gemma, she was arrested on suspicion of breach of the peace. “I don’t understand why I was singled out—when that guy was harassing people and was part of a rally funded by the far right,” she said.
The rally in question was a Let Women Speak (LWS) event, which took place nearby and is known for attracting far-right supporters. Following the incident, LWS posted a photo of Gemma’s arrest on their Twitter account, captioning it:
“They can’t help themselves. While we happily held our #LetWomenSpeakNottingham event and listened to the really good speeches… a very active ‘trans’ activist assaulted a YouTuber”. – @StandingForXX on X
Gemma responded, “It had f*ck all to do with the rally, really. I’m sorry it’s being blamed on trans people.”
She added, “I’d do the same in any situation if I saw a man picking on someone.”
Transvitae reached out to LWS leader Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull (also known as Posie Parker) for comment. She responded, “Unfortunately, I didn’t witness the arrest today.”
Sarah-Alice (she/her), who witnessed the altercation via a livestream, shared her reaction online:
“It’s absolutely wild that the police arrested someone trying to defend elderly people from being screamed at by the anti-trans crowd—and let the abusers walk free.
This isn’t just a threat to the trans community, it’s a threat to the wider public. First they target trans people, then gay rights, then women’s rights. People need to stop being afraid to step on toes. This behaviour has to be challenged—and challenged now.” @EcuadorianMum on X
Sarah-Alice added, “It’s gotten to the point in the UK where the anti-trans crowd can do what they want—even harass cisgender people who don’t side with them.”
Transvitae has reached out to Nottinghamshire Police for comment and will update this story when a response is received.
About the Author
Sophie Molly is a dedicated political activist and intersectional feminist committed to advancing policies that promote inclusivity and equality. Sophie’s work emphasizes the importance of recognizing interconnected forms of oppression and advocating for comprehensive solutions that benefit all individuals, regardless of gender identity.
