Katy Bourne under fire for attending anti-migrant rally and opening "anti-trans" FiLiA conference
Bourne, who currently serves as Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, is the Conservative candidate for the inaugural Mayor of Sussex and Brighton
Katy Bourne, the Conservative candidate for the inaugural Mayor of Sussex and Brighton, is under mounting scrutiny after attending a protest against housing asylum seekers and opening a controversial feminist conference criticised for its stance on trans rights.
🚨 Crowborough has had enough!
— Katy Bourne OBE (@KatyBourne) November 8, 2025
Today, I joined hundreds of local residents on their march after the Government suddenly announced plans to move 600 undocumented migrant men into the old Army camp, just a mile from town.
Crowborough is one of Sussex’s safest and most peaceful… pic.twitter.com/QU8vnRjLSj
Bourne, who currently serves as Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, joined demonstrators in Crowborough last month opposing Home Office plans to accommodate 540 asylum seekers at a disused army training camp. The protest, which drew far-right activists and groups such as Marching Boyz and British Movement supporters, featured placards warning of threats to “women and children” and slogans like “Stop the Boats”. Bourne appeared in a video using language associated with anti-migrant rhetoric, referring to men arriving “straight off the boats” – a phrase long deployed by extremist agitators.
Her involvement has sparked criticism from campaigners and political opponents, who argue that lending legitimacy to such demonstrations risks emboldening extremist networks. The Home Office has insisted the Crowborough site is a temporary solution to meet statutory obligations for housing asylum seekers.
Really excited to be opening today’s @FiLiA_charity Women’s Rights Conference in Brighton - an important space for bold conversations and for amplifying the views, thoughts and voices of women 🌟 #FiLiA2025 https://t.co/3kPvrWgv87 pic.twitter.com/xWCUYUxfuL
— Katy Bourne OBE (@KatyBourne) October 10, 2025
The controversy deepened in October when Bourne opened the FiLiA Women’s Rights Conference at Brighton Centre, billed as Europe’s largest grassroots feminist gathering. The three-day event attracted more than 2,400 delegates and has faced repeated accusations of promoting “anti-trans policies” and exclusionary practices. Trans rights groups staged protests outside the venue, and activists vandalised the building ahead of the conference, claiming FiLiA hosted “some of the most vicious transphobia in modern pop-politics”.
Bourne described the conference as “an incredibly important space for bold conversations”, despite calls for a boycott from LGBTQ+ organisations. FiLiA maintains that its advocacy for single-sex services aligns with the Equality Act 2010 and rejects claims of transphobia.
The twin controversies come as Bourne seeks to position herself as a champion of public safety and community values in a race that will shape governance across Sussex and Brighton. Her campaign launch earlier this year emphasised priorities such as policing, housing, and transport, but critics argue her recent actions raise questions about inclusivity and leadership in a diverse region.
Scene has contacted Katy Bourne for comment; we have yet to hear back
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