TL;DR

• Hundreds of chalk messages calling out JK Rowling’s anti-trans views covered the pavement outside Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London.
• Activists urged fans to reconsider financially supporting Rowling, who funds gender-critical legal groups.
• Messages included “Spread love, not hate” and “This play funds hate.”
• The protest highlights growing resistance to Rowling’s anti-trans influence and its impact on the LGBTQ+ community.
• Organisers say ticket sales continue to bankroll campaigns that harm trans people’s rights.

Activists Cover London Theatre in Chalk Messages Calling Out JK Rowling’s Anti-Trans Agenda

London’s West End got a splash of colour — and a splash of truth — on Sunday as trans activists filled the pavement outside the Palace Theatre with hundreds of chalk messages calling out Harry Potter author JK Rowling for her years-long campaign against the trans community. As theatre-goers arrived for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, they were greeted not by owls, wands, or wizarding whimsy, but by bold, brilliant reminders of who their ticket money supports.

Organised by grassroots campaign group DefundTransphobia, the action turned the corner of the City of Westminster into a living protest mural. Activists, some waving trans flags, chalked message after message urging fans to rethink the financial and moral cost of supporting Rowling’s empire. Many notes were sharp, poignant, and devastatingly clear: “Spread love, not hate. Boycott Harry Potter.” Another added with perfect queer bite: “Harry Potter tattoos have a higher regret rate than transition.”

“This play funds hate” — and fans were asked to see it clearly

The chalked-out street wasn’t just colourful; it was factual. Activists highlighted Rowling’s direct donations to gender-critical organisations, including the tens of thousands she has given to For Women Scotland — the group behind the Supreme Court case arguing to exclude trans women from the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act. They also pointed to her new JK Rowling Women’s Fund, a private pot financing legal battles designed to restrict trans rights nationwide.

All this comes as Cursed Child continues to rake in staggering profits — £8.25 million in 2024 alone from its London run. And a portion of every one of those tickets eventually winds its way to Rowling’s already enormous personal fortune and, by extension, to causes that actively work against trans equality. For activists, this protest wasn’t simply about chalk on pavement — it was about connecting the dots between fandom and funding.

Reclaiming public space — and the narrative

For years, Rowling has pushed the narrative that she is the one under attack. But for trans people, the consequences of her platform are concrete: from abusive campaigns online to policy shifts that strip rights away in real time. This chalk action flips the script, reminding passers-by that the real harm isn’t commentary — it’s cash, influence, and political reach.

The protest showcased the LGBTQ community’s resilience, creativity, and refusal to disappear quietly. Chalk washes away, but the message leaves a mark: trans people are still here, still fighting, and still refusing to let one of the world’s wealthiest authors rewrite the conversation on their lives.

Why this matters for the LGBTQ+ community

This protest isn’t about targeting fans — it’s about accountability. Fandom doesn’t have to be passive; it can be powerful. And when a global brand like Harry Potter becomes intertwined with anti-trans activism, the community has every right to call it out.

For trans people in the UK — already facing an increasingly hostile political climate — public demonstrations like this become a vital reminder: you are not alone, your voice matters, and collective action is alive and well. The chalk messages weren’t just slogans; they were solidarity. And in a time where misinformation and moral panics dominate headlines, that solidarity is a kind of magic all its own.