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Calls are being made for the organisers of London's Pride March to resign after an 'anti-trans' group was allowed to lead the parade handing out leaflets 'spreading hate'.

The campaigners - reportedly from a group called 'Get The L Out!' - carried banners which said 'transactivism erases lesbians' ahead of the 30,000 strong parade on Saturday.

PinkNews filmed the group of 'radical feminist campaigners' forcing their way into the front.

Today, Pride in London admitted it had allowed the anti-trans group to lead the march due to safety and hot weather, but has since been forced to apologise.

Now a transgender woman has launched a petition - signed by more than 1,200 people - calling on the organisers to stand down.

The open letter from Aimee Challenor, 20, from Coventry, said permitting the protesters to lead the march was "horrific exclusionary behaviour".

(Image: SWNS.com)

Speaking today, she said: "I started the open letter because I wanted to help make a difference so that it wouldn't happen again, but I knew I was just one voice out a very large community, and so rather than just trying to be one small voice, I put together this open letter so that we could have a big collective voice as our community, and it's taken off with so many supporters.

"I was at Pride yesterday, I know transphobia goes against everything that Pride is about, so it's important to call it out.

"It’s great to see so much support for this letter condemning transphobia.

"Pride in London were wrong to allow transphobia to be at the lead of the parade on Saturday, and clearly many members and friends of the LGBTQ+ community agree.

"I hope now Pride in London will make a full apology, and will allow new people to take the reins, so that we do not see a repeat of the horrific transphobia."

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

The organisers initially said the parade start had "gone as planned" before later admitting it had allowed the anti-trans group to lead the march due to "hot weather and in the interest of the safety".

Aimee launched her petition today and at 4pm it had attracted 1,200 signatures, including Andrew Jones, festival director of Pride in London in 2013.

Pride in London has now been forced to apologise and said members "reject what this group stands for" but said it "could not forcibly remove the group" as it wasn't a criminal offence.

A spokesperson claimed the group demanded to march behind the rainbow flag, but organisers "moved them to an area far in front of the official parade start to separate them".

They added: "We are distraught by the messages and the hurt that has been caused and we held an urgent meeting with the Community Advisory Board this morning.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

"The protest group showed a level of bigotry, ignorance and hate that is unacceptable.

"We reject what this group stands for. They do not share our values, which are about inclusion and respect and support for the most marginalised parts of our community.

"We are proud of our trans volunteers, proud of the trans groups that are in our parade, proud of our trans speakers at events and proud of the trans people who take part in our campaigns and proud of those who cheered even louder for them yesterday.

"As volunteers, we are shocked and appalled by this behaviour, not least because some felt threatened by the protesters."

London Pride is also going to be reviewing what happened with the Greater London Authority, the Metropolitan Police, Westminster City Council and TfL.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

It added: "Again, we are sorry to any of our trans siblings and their allies who have been affected."

Meanwhile, The National Union of LGBT students also released a statement slamming the organisers.

It said: "Today, transphones were allowed free rein at London Pride, distributing leaflets and carrying banners with anti-trans messages, facing little to no resistance from organisers of the event.

"At an event intended to celebrate our achievements and remember our struggles, allowing hateful transphobia is nothing short of shameful.

"This is why we are joining several other LGBT+ organisations in calling for a full resignation of the current Pride in London organising committee, as well as a public acknowledgment and apology for that harm that has been done."

The parade was opened by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan .

Today he said "transphobia is never acceptable".

To sign the open letter click here .