Four members of Hackney Council’s Green group have been defended by their party after photographs emerged showing demonstrators stabbing an effigy of the incoming Labour leader, Andy Burnham, at a rally outside Hackney Town Hall on 9 July.
Party says councillors left before the stunt
Images published by national media showed protesters thrusting darts into the face and eyes of a dummy depicting Mr Burnham at a demonstration that opposed the new Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Code of Practice. The code, issued after the Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling on the legal definitions of "woman", sets out how single-sex services should be managed under the law.
Hackney Greens have confirmed that councillors Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, Florence Schechter, Laura-Louise Fairley and backbencher Jaz Crowe attended the rally but say they had departed before the effigy was assaulted. A party spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the councillors were present to support trans people.
“They were at the event to stand in solidarity with the trans community, something other political parties no longer seem willing or able to do. Greens reject attempts to segregate trans people from public life, and are proud to always stand with the trans community as they continue to be attacked by politicians and the media alike.”
Hackney’s Green Mayor, Zoë Garbett, has also criticised the EHRC guidance. She described it as "cruel and unfeasible" and warned it would consolidate a system of public segregation and place trans people at risk, a concern she said was reflected in the government’s own equality impact assessment.
Local and national reaction
Photographs of the effigy being stabbed have prompted criticism from senior Labour figures. The footage and images have been described in some quarters as "horrifying", and local Labour leaders have publicly condemned the incident. The story has added strain to an already heated national debate about the EHRC guidance and its implications for single-sex services.
Campaigners held the demonstration to protest the EHRC’s statutory guidance, which addresses how providers should apply single-sex or separate-sex provision following the Supreme Court judgement. The guidance includes provisions on how trans people should be considered in relation to men-only and women-only services.
Who was reported to be at the rally
- Alastair Binnie-Lubbock – cabinet member (reported attendance)
- Florence Schechter – cabinet member (reported attendance)
- Laura-Louise Fairley – cabinet member (reported attendance)
- Jaz Crowe – backbencher (reported attendance)
| Person | Role (as reported) |
|---|---|
| Alastair Binnie-Lubbock | Cabinet member |
| Florence Schechter | Cabinet member |
| Laura-Louise Fairley | Cabinet member |
| Jaz Crowe | Backbencher |
The Greens have publicly condemned the "stunt" involving the effigy and said the councillors did not witness it. The incident has fuelled conversation locally about the tone of political protest, how elected representatives should engage with demonstrations, and the wider implications of recent national guidance on equality and service access.
As the national debate continues, residents and community groups across Hackney are likely to watch closely for any further developments, including responses from party groups on the council and any formal complaints or investigations.
