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# Protesters raise concerns outside county council cabinet meeting over block on Pride library displays
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/protesters-raise-concerns-outside-county-council-cabinet-meeting-over-block-on-pride-library-displays/
- Published: 2026-06-17T16:55:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-20T16:42:24.000Z
- Description: Protesters have voiced concerns outside a meeting of senior members of Staffordshire County Council after the decision to stop Pride displays in public libraries.
- Author: Kerry Ashdown, Local Democracy Reporter
- Tags: Politics

PROTESTERS have voiced concerns outside a meeting of senior members of Staffordshire County Council after the decision to stop Pride displays in public libraries.

Messages of support for the LGBTQ+ community and rainbow colours were on display outside County Buildings today (17th June), alongside a banner calling for four councillors who have come under fire for alleged posts on social media – which are not connected with the library decision – to stand down.

One of the protesters said they felt "physically sick" following reports that Pride displays had been removed from libraries in recent days.

They added:

> "I was utterly disgusted. I was at school in the 1990s and early 2000s during Section 28 \[an amendment to the Local Government Act 1988 which prevented teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ issues with pupils between 1988 and 2003\].  
>  
> "If you had any questions about sexuality you couldn’t get any help from school.  
>  
> "It was a really difficult time for me – I didn’t fully understand who I am until my 20s. Not being able to share information about our history is blatant censorship. Removing Pride displays is not a politically neutral act.”

Despite criticism of the move from other political parties, the matter was not discussed by cabinet members at their meeting.

A county council spokesperson said that a decision to review and refocus the use of library display space was made by the cabinet member for communities and culture.

They added:

> "While the review takes place, all displays that do not promote the core library offer or wider council services have been paused; this has included Pride displays but applies to all other discretionary displays too.  
>  
> "A wide range of books and materials can be loaned from us. These cover topics and authors of interest to the LGBTQ+ community and many others.  
>  
> "No books or materials have been removed from the library. A community impact assessment will be carried out as part of the review."

Cllr Martin Murray, leader of the Reform UK administration at the county council, said:

> "There has been a lot of commentary and, unfortunately, quite some politicisation about Staffordshire libraries in recent days.  
>  
> "No books have been removed from library shelves, no authors have been pulled from the catalogue and no titles have been placed off-limits.  
>  
> "Our new Staffordshire County Council Libraries Strategy will focus on core services and will no longer use taxpayer-funded resources, sites and communications channels to promote any particular group, cause or identity. That applies consistently to every group and every cause.  
>  
> "Library services belong to everyone in Staffordshire equally – they are not there to promote or privilege particular groups, causes or identities, however well-intentioned. As such, Pride events will no longer be promoted in our public libraries."

But Damon Hoppe, who was protesting outside County Buildings, said:

> "It’s not just affecting the LGBTQ+ community – it’s going to affect Black History Month and International Women’s Day.  
>  
> "I just can’t believe it in this day and age."