We’re working closely with West Midlands Police and Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands to ensure this year’s Pride is a safe and enjoyable event for everyone.

We want everybody attending Pride to have fun and be safe while they celebrate. West Midlands Police are working with us, Birmingham City Council, the fire and ambulance services, and other key partners to ensure that there are robust safety and security measures in place for the event. 

Here are some things you can also do to help ensure it’s a weekend to remember for the right reasons: 

• Stick together: Stay with your friends and loved ones, and arrange a meeting spot in case you get separated during the festivities. Consider sharing your phone locations with each other so you know where to find each other 
• Protect your valuables: Pickpockets thrive in crowds, so keep your valuables close and out of sight and avoid placing them in easy-to-access spots like back pockets 
• Plan ahead: Plan your journey to and from the event in advance. If you’re using public transport, know where you need to go and what time the service runs until to avoid being stranded late at night 
• Stay in well-lit, public places: When travelling to and from venues, opt for safe and busy paths, especially at night 
• Keep your phone charged: This will help you stay in touch with your loved ones and will also allow you to call for help if you need it 
• Drink safely: Never leave your drink unattended or be wary of accepting drinks from strangers. Make sure you also know your limits and drink plenty of water  
• Ask For Angela: Participating venues have trained staff to recognise the discreet code word, ‘Angela’. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe while out, ask a staff member for Angela and they should be able to help you 
• Be aware of your surroundings: If something doesn’t look or feel right, remove yourself from the situation and speak to a member of security or the police straight away 

Hate Crime 

Everyone has the right to live free from fear, intimidation and abuse. Nobody deserves to be abused or should have to accept intolerable behaviour. 

If you have experienced a hate crime or incident because of your sexual orientation and/or transgender identity, the police are here to support you. 

This includes: 

• Verbal abuse 
• Bullying 
• Physical assault 
• Harassment 
• Damage to property 

Don’t wait to report hate: 

• In an emergency, call 999. For non-emergencies, call 101.  
• Webchat with the police at  www.westmidlands.police.uk  
• Report it online via www.report-it.org.uk 

You can also report hate crime through a third-party reporting centre. These are community locations where you can report hate crimes or incidents without having to contact the police directly. 

Find out where your local third party reporting centre is. 

Project Servator at Pride 

If you see extra officers in the city during Pride, there’s nothing to worry about. Project Servator deployments can pop up anywhere, at any time. Specially-trained officers carry out patrols to reassure the public and detect criminal activity, including hostile reconnaissance.

There’s no need to be alarmed though, feel free to chat to Project Servator officers who will explain more about why they’re there.

Project Servator’s specially trained high-visibility and plain clothes officers are supported by resources which include police dogs,  CCTV operators, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and other specialist tactics. 

Project Servator deployed at Pride last year and is part of everyday policing in Birmingham, with deployments taking place regularly and unpredictably across the city. If you’d like to find out more about Project Servator visit the West Midlands Police website or ask one if the officers in person, who will be happy to answer any questions. 

#BeSafeBeSound at our festival event 

We are also encouraging our festival event attendees to #BeSafeBeSound.

You can play your part by trusting your instincts, and if you see something that doesn’t feel right, tell security. Our teams will take every report seriously. You won’t be wasting their time.

Here are some quick tips to help you have a safe and enjoyable time:

• Arrive early, allowing more time for security checks and measures.
• Be patient with security checks. It might seem inconvenient, but they are in place to help you.
• Keep it simple and minimise what you carry. Fewer bags to search will speed up entry.
• Stay alert and look out for each other. If you see something that doesn’t feel right, tell security. Don’t leave it to someone else. 
• Don’t leave bags unattended. Never agree to look after a stranger’s bag, no matter how genuine they seem.
• If there is an incident, listen to staff and any announcements.

In an emergency, always call 999.

Have an amazing time, and if you see something that doesn’t feel right, report it to security straight away. Thank you for playing your part. #BeSafeBeSound.