Hannah Spencer was speaking at an event in Manchester before the incident (Gary Roberts/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images/PoliticsJOE)
Newly elected Green MP Hannah Spencer was confronted by anti-trans activists and led into a police car after taking part in an anti-far-right demonstration.
Pro-LGBTQ+ MPs Gorton and Denton, who handed Zach Polanski’s party its first victory in a by-election last month, defeated Reform Party MP Matt Goodwin and Labor MP Angeliki Stoja with just under 41% of the vote.
The by-election was a disaster for Keir Starmer’s Labor Party, which had held the seat consistently since at least 1931.
On Sunday (March 8), which was International Women’s Day, Ms Spencer spoke at the launch event for the anti-far-right group Together Alliance in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester.
Together Alliance A huge march against the rise of fascism is planned in London on March 28th, with dozens of trade unions, charities and activist groups expected to take to the streets.
After giving her speech, Ms Spencer was confronted by anti-trans activists questioning her views as she crossed Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre, and a scuffle broke out between the groups.
Video footage captured on a screen and later shared on social media shows Spencer being chased by two men. One held a placard that read, “There is no such thing as a transgender child,” and the other wore a placard that read “Keep men out of women’s spaces.”
“Can men give birth?” one of the men can be heard asking in the video.
Another question is also heard: “Hannah, can women have penises?”
As Mr Spencer left the event, high-visibility volunteers and anti-trans activists clashed, with one man also clashing with a woman who tried to remove a transphobic placard.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police separated the two groups from each other and issued verbal warnings to those who had been physically assaulted.
During the violence, Spencer was escorted from the scene by a waiting police car.
In an earlier speech, Spencer described the Together Alliance as follows:
“And last week we did just that. We showed the best of Greater Manchester and kicked out those who came to incite hatred.”
A Green Party spokesperson said the incident was caused by “a few angry men” who wanted to “spread anti-trans prejudice”.
“Hannah was in Manchester today speaking about community unity and solidarity,” the spokesperson continued. “A few angry men looking to spread anti-transgender bias chose this opportunity to silence and harass Hannah.
“On this International Women’s Day, there is a bitter irony that several men who claim to “protect women” behave in this way toward a new female member of Congress, even chasing her in a police car.
“To make matters worse, the abuse Hannah received included the same misinformation and outright lies shared online by her political opponents.”
They added: “Hannah will not be silenced and will continue to speak out for the community she was elected to represent.”
PinkNews has contacted the Green Party for further comment.
Source: PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news – www.thepinknews.com
