Pride in Surrey announced that BAE Systems, the world’s largest supplier of munitions, will be the lead sponsor of the 2019 Pride event. The arms manufacturer is highly controversial for its role in the global arms trade and particularly for its lucrative contracts with Saudi Arabia.
In response to backlash, a spokesperson for Pride in Surrey said: “We’d say it’s fab to see them wanting to make a difference, break down industry stereotypes and build for a more diverse and inclusive community.”
Activists from No Pride in War, which was formed in 2016 to protest a Red Arrows flyover at London Pride, said in a statement to PinkNews: “It is very disappointing, but similarly unsurprising, to hear that BAE Systems will be the lead sponsor of yet another formal Pride event in the United Kingdom.”
Read more at PinkNews.