Trans rights protesters gathered outside the new flagship Harry Potter store on Oxford Street on Wednesday as it opened its doors to fans, urging people waiting in line to reconsider spending money on the franchise.
The protest came as the UK’s largest official Harry Potter shop opened at 21,000 square feet of retail space across two floors. Fans gathered early for the opening, some in costume, and the line reportedly wrapped around a nearby alley as people slowly entered the store, mostly ignoring the demonstrators.
Estimates of the protest’s size varied, from around a dozen to around two dozen people. Demonstrators held signs reading “protect trans lives” and “stop funding trans erasure” and used megaphones to lead chants including “trans rights are human rights”. One chant, “blood on your hands”, was described as a reference to what trans rights groups claim about author J.K. Rowling’s impact on trans people, with demonstrators saying it has perpetuated a hostile environment in which trans people are denied healthcare and are more likely to die by suicide.
A trans activist at the protest said that, considering the impact Rowling has on trans rights, it would be a disappointment if trans people were not there to have their voices heard. The activist added that while the opening looked crowded, a few years ago it would have been absolutely flooded with people, and that at the peak of Harry Potter’s popularity it would have been impossible to even get close to the store — arguing the franchise is losing its popularity.
Rowling was not present for the shop opening. She explicitly denies being transphobic or anti-trans rights. In a social media post this week she said trans rights campaigners are pushing for women to lose their sex-based rights to accommodate men who say they are women. The protest followed a new essay from Rowling in which she said her views on trans rights have not changed, years after she first drew backlash.
A spokesperson for the new store said it was thrilled to open its doors and welcome in hundreds of fans, adding: “We support everyone’s right to the peaceful expression of personal viewpoints and look forward to a day full of magic.”
The store has been billed as an interactive retail experience, with a life-size Ironbelly dragon, Diagon Alley retail zones, a triple-decker Knight Bus and the Leaky Cauldron café serving Butterbeer, among other features.
It also arrives as big business. The shop will contribute to a brand worth between $25 billion and $35 billion, with annual revenue of $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion. And it comes ahead of the Christmas Day release of HBO’s eight-part television series based on the first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”, part of a 10-year commitment that will see all seven books adapted for television, with Rowling serving as executive producer.
There will also be a Harry Potter-themed Christmas lights switch-on on Oxford Street on Monday (9 November) as a tie-in to the upcoming television adaptation. One of the stars of the new series has spoken out disagreeing with Rowling’s views, while another star almost quit the show over backlash.
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