Norfolk police 'aware' of Let Women Speak event in Norwich

The force has indicated it will be paying close attention to the rally hosted by Let Women Speak, an organisation described by its supporters as a "gender critical feminist" campaign.

The group's "free speech" events are held around the world and have recently led to clashes with counter-protesters in Edinburgh.

Trans activists have targeted Let Women Speak in the past because of the group's defence of women's sex-based rights and criticism of trans ideology, which it says undermines and threatens these rights.

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

Organisers have not confirmed the exact location of the Norwich event, which will be held on June 8 and hosted by activist Kellie-Jay Keen, also known as Posie Parker.

Ms Keen 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.

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Let Women Speak held a rally in Edinburgh last month (Image: Jane Barlow/PA)

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Constabulary said it was "aware" of the event but declined to confirm whether officers would be attending.

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

Gender critical feminists 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.

One of the pieces of art on display (Image: Norwich Women's Rights Group)

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

The row emerged amid an ongoing debate sparked by the publication of the landmark Cass Review, a long-awaited report which found children who questioned their gender had been set on the path to irreversible change despite "remarkably weak evidence" to support medical treatment. 

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".