Transgender activists and pro-women group protest in Norwich

Hundreds of people gathered outside Norwich City Hall and the Norwich War Memorial in St Peters Street on Saturday afternoon.

Eight police officers stood on both sides of the street on patrol as activists clashed verbally throughout the protest and counter protest. 

READ MORE: Norfolk Police to attend Let Women Speak event in Norwich

Let Women Speak is an organisation which claims to be a free speech movement, with organisers describing themselves as "gender critical feminists".

The event in the city centre was designed to provide a platform to defend women's sex-based rights, which they say are threatened by trans ideology.

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

With a microphone in hand, activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, encouraged members of the public from Norwich to speak about their own experiences.

Activist, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, speaks during a Let Women Speak rally in Edinburgh (Image: PA)

Previous Let Women Speak events around the UK and abroad have led to major clashes, often met with counter-protests from trans groups who disagree with Ms Keen's criticism of trans ideology.

On the steps of Norwich City Hall, a counter protest was organised by local trans activists who stood with their friends, holding pride flags.

They wore masks and shielded themselves with umbrellas to protect their identities from protesters, who shouted out threats and abuse and tried to photograph them on their phones.

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

While speeches were being held by the pro-women group, trans activists held signs which read "women's rights equal trans rights", "we're here, queer and won't live in fear" and "Norwich stand up to fascists."

They chanted, "trans rights are human rights", "we just want to survive", "shame on you" and "fascists go home".

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

Stewards from Let Women Speak handed out leaflets which read: "We do not want to be compelled into pretending men can be women."

The statements added: "We do not want our children to be indoctrinated into this dangerous ideology" and "transitioning children is profound abuse."

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

One woman who took to the stage said: "Sometimes hearing people use terms like 'all genders' is like fingernails on a chalkboard."

Another women said: "This is institutional misogyny."

Two young men held up a sign on the memorial side of the street which read: "Stop discriminating against non-woke students."

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Keen promoted her new political campaign Party of Women that stood five candidates in the local elections last month.

Her leaflets read: "We will inject common sense and plain speaking into politics" and "are you willing to help us defend this country from madness?"

Ms Keen said to the crowd: "The thing that they don't realise, and by 'they' I mean to discriminate against them as a group, is the more they stand there opposing what we say, the more people walking past will say, why are those upstanding, relatively unemployed people over there opposing what these women are saying?"

Standing with security guards in suits and sunglasses, one passer by compared Ms Keen-Minshull to former US President Donald Trump, he said: "We all know who she's trying to be."

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The Let Women Speak event at the Norwich War Memorial, met with a counter protest led by transgender activists on the steps of the City Hall (Image: Newsquest)

Organisers of the trans rights counter protest were approached for a comment, but declined to respond.

However, one member from the crowd, who wished to remain anonymous, explained: "People don't feel safe, its dangerous for us to be here today."

Members of the crowds on both sides of the street were held back by police throughout the afternoon.

One person shouted across to the pro-women activists, calling them "scum" and "nazis".

A middle-aged male, which passers by had described as a "rottweiler" stood on the edge of the road as he swore abuse at the transgender activists, taunting them to "come over".

Transgender rights counter protestors disrupt the Let Women Speak rally in Scotland (Image: Jane Barlow/PA)

One transgender man who was passing by said, "I just want to live my life, I just want to be happy" he added, "I had to wait years before I got my treatment, but I'm not afraid to be me."

"No matter what you do in life, no matter what you change, there's always going to be someone out there who's going to knock you down.

"I don't understand how my identity contributes to ruining these people's lives."

READ MORE: Norfolk police 'aware' of Let Women Speak event in Norwich

Another member of the pro-women group, Dr Em, said: "All we're saying is children aren't born wrong and science is real. The other side likes to silence us.

"I didn't think I'd have to wade in on transgender ideology until Keir Starmer said some women have penises - I thought this was insane."

Observing the transgender activists, she said: "You see the adult men getting a sexual kick out of it.

"They're almost groomed students. I'm really sad for them, they don't even realise what they're chanting."

Another spokesman from the Let Women Speak movement said: "We're campaigning to keep female language and female spaces, female only, our rights are on the line and our children need protecting."