Channel Islands Pride attendees 'must be vaccinated or tested'

The event, which alternates between Jersey and Guernsey, was held in Guernsey in 2020

People who want to attend Channel Islands Pride need to be vaccinated against or have tested negative for coronavirus, organisers have said.

They said they had a responsibility to make sure people could freely celebrate the LGBTQ+ community without concerns about Covid-19 infection.

The event is due to be held in Jersey on 21 August.

Director Christian May said the move was about being "as safe ... as possible".

Mr May said: "We want to make sure that anybody who wants to come can come and celebrate with us and do so in as safe a way as possible."

People coming to the island for the event would be tested as part of standard arrivals procedures, the Pride website said.

It did not say how enforcement would be carried out for island residents.

However, a post on the website at the end of last week, said organisers would "publish our full Covid policy and combatting procedures in the coming days".

The Pride event alternates between Guernsey and Jersey each year.

The islands held the first "in person" Pride event in the British Isles of 2020 in Guernsey in September, after the island was able to lift nearly all of its coronavirus restrictions.

Thousands gathered for a march through St Peter Port.

The 2021 is free to attend and due to be held at Les Jardins de La Mer in St Helier.