Sophie Zeldin-O"Neill Wow, what a day. It’s been a joy and a privilege to blog London’s biggest ever Pride event, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it too – whether you’re there in person or at home watching the internet turn rainbow. People from all walks of life have turned out in support today, from actors and presenters to the emergency services, teachers, musicians, sports personalities, and politicians. I never thought I’d be posting a picture of Sir Keir Starmer with glitter on his face … and I sort of hope it doesn’t wash off. Reporter Amy Walker is chatting to some of those who have been celebrating today. She reports: Amber Whiting, 27, watched the parade from Haymarket with her friend Connor Mathews, 29. She first attended Pride in London 10 years ago. “At the time, I didn’t even know the terminology for bisexuality,” she said. “Over the years I’ve realised I’m actual pansexual, but I still get stigma from friends who in a ‘jokey’ way say I’m just indecisive. Here, I feel represented.” Having been to three other annual Pride events, she noted that this year’s felt less “commercial” with more of a focus on LGBTQ+ groups marching together than branded floats fronted by minor celebrities. “It feels bigger. It feels like everyone who’s here is enjoying it and has missed it - it’s nice to be back,” she added. The London Ambulance Service have been at the event today, showing their support with an ambulance float specially decorated in the Progress Pride flag. We’re into the final hour of the parade now, folks. Sadiq Khan’s office have said that over a million people were in attendance today - including representatives from more than 600 LGBT+ community groups - describing it as the biggest Pride in the capital ever. March halted by queer activist group Queer activist group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, reportedly halted today’s Pride in London march to protest against the presence of police at future London pride events. Halting the parade for 23 minutes — representing the 23 people who have died in London Metropolitan Police custody since the end of 2020 - the 40 LGBTQ+ protesters, wearing all black with pink veils, staged a ‘die in’, lying on the ground while others chanted instructions for how to intervene in a police stop and search. On either side, members of the group held two banners facing spectators that read ‘no pride in cops, no pride in borders’. This just in from my colleague Amy Walker, who is at the march in London today: With discussions taking place on issues ranging from conversion therapy to the history of the march, many of those the Guardian spoke to noted there was still room for improvement when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. “It’s been really good to see that nearly every single float and flag has included the trans flag,” said Damien, 25, who also added that the main thing he’d missed about the event was being able to wear glitter on his face in public. As the Guardian chatted to Rosy, 23, a bisexual student enjoying her first Pride parade, she pointed out a group of anti-LGBT Christian protestors on the other side of the road. “Bit of a downer, but it just goes to show how important this still is,” she said, before quipping that a gay couple had been seen defiantly “snogging” in front of them. Shetland celebrates first ever Pride march Meanwhile in Scotland, Shetland is celebrating its historic first ever Pride march today, the most northerly celebration of its kind in the UK. It has drawn interest from across the world and visiting drag queens travelled by ferry from Aberdeen to perform at a sold-out variety show. Young actors dance to Whitney Houston in front of a group of anti-LGBT protestors The young stars of Netflix’s LGBT+ teen series Heartstopper – which has been a huge hit for the platform – were seen dancing to Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody and giving the middle finger to homophobic protesters earlier this afternoon, according to Sky News reports. A tribute to Pride on display today in London’s Piccadilly Circus, as revellers line the streets along the parade route. TV personality Alison Hammond attends alongside presenter Phillip Schofield, who came out as gay in 2020. Singer Emeli Sandé, who is among those on the entertainment bill, has posted a story on her Instagram showing her and her partner, classical pianist Yoana Karemov, at the event in London today. Sandé previously said she was driven to come out publicly by an urge to be “bold and honest” in everything she does, and that while she had been “nervous” about the decision, she also wanted to “shout from the rooftops and celebrate” their relationship. Singer Sam Smith has just performed at the JW Anderson store in London’s Soho, according to Pop mag’s Instagram.The artist came out as non-binary in 2019. Victoria Scone has just performed in Trafalgar square. Scone is best known for competing on the third series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK where she was the first cisgender female contestant on any series of the Drag Race franchise. Half a century after LGBTQ+ people marched through London for the first UK Pride, key players recall the fun, the fear, the fallout … and the paisley hot pants, in Amelia Abraham’s recent piece. ‘We danced naked in Hyde Park - and then changed the world’: the inside story of UK Pride, 50 years on Olympic athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, who recently came out publicly as gay, is attending this year’s Pride in London event. She posted a picture of herself on Instagram wearing a multicoloured outfit featuring a Pride flag, alongside the hashtag “beingme”. Cambridge student Padraig O Siochphradra Presern, 22, from Slovenia, was among the throngs of young people who said this Pride was their first. On their first impressions of the event on Saturday afternoon, Presern said: “It’s quite overwhelming, but in a good way. “I think there are more people here than the population of my entire country.” After coming with “no expectations”, they and friends planned to hang around into the evening to catch Ava Max at Trafalgar Square. But despite the festivities, they added that Pride in London was “definitely still a protest”. “The whole purpose is to say we’re still here, we’re not going anywhere and to highlight that not everyone around the world has these rights. “There’s definitely still things to work on, including trans inclusivity, outside and inside the community,” added Presern. If you haven’t listened to it already, do check out our Today in Focus episode from earlier this week, on 50 years of Pride in the UK and why we still need it.