An LGB Alliance conference held in Westminster was thrown into chaos today after “trans activists” allegedly released cockroaches, earthworms and crickets inside.
The charity says it “promotes the rights of lesbian, bisexual and gay people, as recognized by their biological sex”.
When the group became a charity in 2021, several angry trans rights groups appealed the decision.
Today, the gay rights group held a conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Center in central London but videos on social media show bugs in the event.
Posts on X by those present claim they saw seven young trans rights activists dumping two bags of bugs.
Videos show hundreds of insects crawling over purple chairs in the hallway.
An LGB Alliance conference held in Westminster was thrown into chaos today after 'trans activists' allegedly threw cockroaches, earthworms and crickets inside.
Posts on X by those present claim they saw seven young trans rights activists dumping two bags of bugs
Videos show hundreds of insects crawling across purple hallway chairs
Jamie Reed, a speaker at the event, posted: 'Two minutes before I was supposed to speak on stage, a TRA simply dumped a bag full of cockroaches and bugs all over the auditorium and ran away.
'Please take note: I will not be silenced. You can try everything to intimidate and silence me. It won't work. As I was about to take the stage at the @AllianceLGB conference, a TRA dumped bags of live bugs.
“We go through two layers of security, including metal detectors.”
Another post said: “Trans activists just disrupted the annual conference held by the LGB Alliance by releasing insects into the main hall.
“These unsavory individuals seeking to disrupt a peaceful lesbian and gay conference turn out to be the real bigots.”
MailOnline approached the LGB Alliance for more information.
A Met Police spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Police were called at 4.24pm on Friday 11 October to reports of a protest at the Queen Elizabeth II Center in Broad Sanctuary.
“Four protesters would have released several insects inside the place.
“They were detained by security and escorted from the premises by appropriate adults.
'Police have his details and an investigation into the circumstances remains ongoing.'
The gay rights group has a controversial past, clashing with trans rights charities.
In July last year, the transgender charity Mermaids today advocated stripping the LGB Alliance of its charitable status, in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in the UK.
The trans group's attempt was deemed “deeply homophobic” in court and Mermaid's case was dismissed.
Mermaids launched the legal action arguing that the LGB Alliance should be stripped of its charitable status, claiming that the organization is merely a front for transphobia and political campaigns to prevent changes to gender self-identification in the law.
The two charities fundamentally disagree on issues of trans rights, with the LGB Alliance taking the view that people cannot change their biological sex while the Mermaids argue that they can.
An activist holds a transgender pride flag at a protest by the Transgender Action Block and supporters outside the LGB Alliance's first annual conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Center in 2021
Protesters outside the Elizabeth II Conference Center in central London during the LGB Alliance's first annual conference in 2021
The LGB Alliance celebrated the victory over the Sirens, reposted by JK Rowling, in 2023
The judgment found in favor of the LGB Alliance and said: 'We found that Mermaids does not have a legal right to operate free from criticism.'
LGB Alliance director Kate Harris called it Mermaids' 'vanity project' and LGB co-founder Bev Jackson said the case cost them £250,000, calling it a “win for everyone in the UK”, a “civilized society” and “freedom of thought”.
She said, 'Why the hell was that necessary? How can it happen that we find ourselves in court having to defend, for example, what a lesbian is? When everyone knows what a lesbian is. All the money we spend to defend our existence as the only charity that exclusively advocates for same-sex attracted people is extraordinary. How is this possible?
“It's a huge victory, not just for the LGB Alliance, but for gays, lesbians and bisexuals around the world.”
The LGB Alliance describes itself as a charity that promotes the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual people “on the basis of sex rather than gender and believes that gender transition is largely driven by homophobia”.
During previous hearings, LGB Alliance co-founder Bev Jackson said the organization shared Harry Potter author JK Rowling's view that “without sex there is no same-sex attraction.”
Ms Jackson said: 'Anti-lesbian prejudice and fear are leading many teenagers, especially lesbians, to believe they have “gender identity” issues when in fact they are struggling with their emerging lesbian/gay sexual orientation.'
Dr Belinda Bell, chair of the Mermaids board, accused the LGB Alliance of trying to 'undermine' the work of charities such as Mermaids and Stonewall.
