When Sunil Gupta moved to London from New York in the late 70s, he was surprised to find no equivalent of New York’s Christopher Street. All the gays and lesbians appeared to be in hiding, found only in a handful of pubs and after-hours clubs. This changed with the 1970s fledgeling gay marches.
The photographs in his new book encompass the period from the mid to late 1980s and recount Pride marches before corporate sponsors, as well as CND gatherings, demos supporting the miners’ strikes and protests against Clause 28. Sunil Gupta: ‘There was no commercial advertising allowed, only banners proclaiming people’s affiliation to organisations and the community. This banner refers to The Landmark Aids Centre, a day centre in Tulse Hill which offered treatment and support for HIV patients. It was officially opened on 25 July 1989 by Diana, Princess of Wales. It’s one of the occasions where Diana shook the hands of somebody with HI