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A Reform UK councillor is on trial after allegedly confronting staff at an LGBTQ festival over a drag performer’s ‘gyrating’ act on stage.
Amanda Clare, 54, who describes herself as a ‘radical feminist and mum,’ was arrested for photographing transgender performers singing and dancing at this year’s Winsford Pride in Cheshire, reportedly in the presence of children.
The former Labour councillor switched to Reform UK in March and had previously criticized stallholders at the event, accusing them of targeting children with ‘sexualized and ideological merchandise promoting medical gender transition.’
She also raised issues concerning a man participating in a burlesque-style performance at the 2024 festival, who appeared in revealing women’s underwear and star-shaped nipple covers.
Known as Mandy, Clare insisted she returned to the festival in June not to protest or instigate trouble, but because she perceived herself to have a ‘legitimate safeguarding role.’
However, witnesses said she was seen videoing acts and ‘storming’ the stage as a drag artiste performed in front of young families.
Online video footage illustrated a seeming dispute, with Clare being handcuffed and escorted away, while a festival-goer waved what looked like a sex toy at her.
Today Clare, of Tilston, Malpas, appeared at Chester Magistrates Court charged with assault on security guard Richard Welsh and criminal damage to his camera. She claimed she was simply acting in ‘self-defence’ and pleaded not guilty to both charges.
She was bailed, on condition she does not contact Mr Welsh, and will stand trial at the same court in December.
Councillor Amanda Clare (right) with Reform UK leader MP Nigel Farage
She was arrested and charged with assault and criminal damage following a row at Winsford Pride in June
Clare was handcuffed by security guards after being accused of remonstrating with staff at the LGBTQ festival over a drag artiste’s ‘gyrating’ stage show.
One of the drag artistes booked to perform at the event
Earlier, Clare, who represents Reform UK on Cheshire West and Chester Council, launched a ‘crowd justice’ fundraising campaigning to pay her legal fees for the case. So far she has received donations of almost £2,000.
She said: ‘I attended this event not to protest against it, but within a legitimate safeguarding and policy-compliance role, as a local councillor, having managed to secure an acknowledgement by event organisers of previous mistakes having been made.
‘At last year’s (2024) Winsford Pride, not only did one stall target sexualised and ideological merchandise that promoted medical ‘gender transition’ directly at children, there was also a drag performance that involved a man dancing in a burlesque style, wearing skimpy women’s knickers with a clown face over the crotch area and star-shaped nipple stickers that were removed during the performance.
‘The act profusely apologised to the event organisers for this error of judgement after I repeatedly applied pressure for him not to be invited back, but he was re-booked for 2025 regardless, albeit with stricter guidelines in place.
‘So I was attending within my councillor capacity and for a very legitimate purpose, not to protest or cause a problem, and was hoping the 2025 event would be much improved, which some elements of it were.
‘I strenuously deny any wrongdoing whatsoever at the 2025 Winsford Pride event. Much malicious misrepresentation has taken place online regarding this case and my alleged actions, however to avoid any risk of prejudicing the case I will not comment further on the detail of what happened.
‘We need our local councillors to feel willing and able to ensure adequate safeguarding and political neutrality within publicly-funded organisations and events and to be able to speak up and defend ourselves, if and when when issues do arise.
‘It is really important, not just for justice in my own personal case, but for democracy to remain functional and for our children to remain safe.’
Clare pleaded not guilty at Chester Magistrates’ Court today and was bailed to return for a two-day trial in December
Clare is currently suspended from her job working alongside Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin (pictured), who represents Runcorn and Helsby
Clare was a member of the Labour Party when first elected in Chester’s Winsford Dene ward in 2019, but left in March 2022 to join the far-left Socialist Labour Party.
She was then a member of the Party of Women and the hyper-local Winsford Salt of the Earth Party, before settling as an independent in July 2024. She defected to Reform UK in March but is currently suspended from her her work in the office of Sarah Pochin, the Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby.
