DOZENS of campaigners turned out to protest outside Barnsley Town Hall following the council’s decision to axe flying the Pride flag.
A big turnout of 40 people stood in the Glass Works on Saturday, showing Pride flags and placards calling for gay people to be accepted and celebrated rather than suppressed.
The flag has for years been flown over the town hall to mark Pride Week and in the run-up to Barnsley Pride, which takes place on July 25.
The demonstration, titled ‘Standing for Visibility’, was organised in response to concerns that Pride Month commemorations have not sufficiently highlighted the contributions, struggles and achievements of LGBTQ+ people throughout history.
The group said the Reform-led council was ‘taking Barnsley backwards’.
A spokesperson from Barnsley Pride said: “We have been gaslit and ridiculed, slowly stripped of our acceptance, our literature removed and political parties pumping millions into the promotion of our demonisation and erasure.
“Some people have always hated us and now they feel safer to say it.
“The refusal by Barnsley Council to raise the Pride flag during Pride Month is more than a disappointing decision - it is a painful rejection of a community that has spent generations fighting simply to be treated with equal dignity and respect.
“For LGBTQ+ people, the flag is not just a piece of fabric, it is a symbol of survival.
“To refuse to fly that flag during Pride Month sends a message, whether intended or not, that those stories, those sacrifices and those people matter less.
“Raising the Pride flag costs nothing, but its absence can speak volumes.
“It can leave people feeling unseen, unsupported and excluded by the very institutions that are supposed to represent and serve them.
“Many people in Barnsley will look at this decision and feel hurt.
“They will wonder why a symbol of inclusion was considered too much to display.
“They will question why, in 2026, recognising and supporting LGBTQ+ residents remains a point of hesitation rather than a point of pride.”
Organisers of Barnsley Pride recently announced that the event would be honouring Ollie Lee, a 14-year-old who took her own life in October 2024.
An inquest into her death found that she had been the victim of repeated bullying at school, including physical and homophobic attacks.
“Pride is more than a celebration,” the spokesperson added.
“It is also about remembering those who fought for equality and ensuring that their stories are not forgotten.”
Council leader William Brown confirmed the Union Flag, St George’s Cross and Barnsley Council’s own would be in situ.
“Barnsley Town Hall is an important civic building for everyone in Barnsley.
“This approach to having three standard flags provides a consistent and recognisable display.
“We will continue to support other events and campaigns in various ways throughout the year.”
