Police have reportedly closed a pub as two rival protest groups clash in the city centre.
Campaigners from Standing For Women claim they were followed to the Slug and Lettuce by counter-protesters from the trans rights activists group. Footage from the scene shows officers staged at the front of the building, with people with megaphones shouting at women standing behind police.
Standing For Women has been labelled 'transphobic' by a group called Bristol Against Hate, which organised a counter-protest today - both groups met at College Green. Activists from Standing For Women have taken to Twitter to describe the scene, with some claiming they are "being silenced".
Twitter user Susan McDonnell (@sleeepysandy) has said: "Currently in Bristol #StandingForWomen where the #BlackPampers have surrounded the pub, screaming through megaphones that they’ll leave bad reviews for the pub. They are outside the pub now insisting we cannot leave & that they’ll get the pub closed down
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Another activist (@orchestralia) has posted: "Currently blocked in a pub with police guard as TRAs have followed us and are being threatening. #LetWomenSpeak #Bristol @ShelfordMark ps - @littlelouandMM is NOT happy!"
@WRWales tweeted: "Absolutely appalling intimidation of women in #Bristol this afternoon, with @StandingforXX requiring a police escort as TRAs shout abuse and harass peaceful demonstrators. We will NOT be silenced." And @HackneyTerven wrote: "They keep following us wherever we stood. Police did nothing to stop them. We are surrounded by them. There are stewards *in front of* the police. #Letwomenspeak."
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