Norfolk Police to attend Let Women Speak event in Norwich

The Let Women Speak (LWS) rally will be held at the War Memorial outside City Hall on Saturday.

Organisers describe themselves as "gender critical feminists" and the event is designed to promote free speech and provide a platform to defend women's sex-based rights, which they say are threatened by trans ideology.

However, an anonymous group of trans activists have announced plans to protest against what it describes as a "hate rally", claiming lead organiser, Kellie-Jay Keen, is an "anti-trans provocateur".

In a post online, they say demonstrators should wear what they describe as 'grey bloc' clothing - 'plain, unidentifiable, monochrome' - and cover their faces in masks, to avoid being identified.

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

Ms Keen, an activist also known as Posie Parker, is the leader of the Party of Women, a new political group that stood five candidates in the local elections last month, with none voted in.

She hosts Let Women Speak events around the world and is often met with counter-protests from trans groups, who disagree with her defence of women's sex-based rights and criticism of trans ideology.

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said: "I can confirm police are aware and will be attending. We are working with all our partners to support and take any appropriate measures if needed."

The event will take place this Saturday at Norwich War Memorial, with counter-protesters demonstrating on the steps of City Hall.

Norwich City Council declined to comment. 

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The event comes weeks after a row in Norfolk over a trans art show at Norwich's Millennium Library.

Women's groups said the exhibition promoted the use of surgery and medication among vulnerable young people with gender issues and should not have been held in a public library.

Kay Mason Billig, the leader of Norfolk County Council, also became embroiled when she posted on Mumsnet to apologise about the show.

Norwich Trans Pride protested outside the Forum following backlash over the exhibition (Image: Steven Whitear)

The display featured artwork with slogans like 'trans joy' and 'my garden, my choice'.

It also depicted a person with mastectomy scars, as a result of gender reassignment surgery, a ceramic nude figure and a hypodermic needle for injecting testosterone.

Norwich Trans Pride, which organised the display to mark Transgender Day of Visibility, hit back at critics and described them as "hate groups" and "bigots".