Thousands gather for colorful celebration at Taiwan Pride parade

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Thousands gathered on the streets of Taipei on Saturday for the Taiwan Pride parade, one of Asia’s largest annual celebrations of inclusivity.

Attendees, many dressed in colorful costumes, walked waving flags and banners with messages of support for gender equality. Some hailed from across the region, from places like Vietnam, Hong Kong and Japan.

Taiwan has built a reputation as one of Asia’s most gender-inclusive places. The island democracy in 2019 was the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage after a yearslong campaign by gay rights advocates.

Saturday’s parade overlapped with Halloween celebrations, with some attendees’ costumes pulling double duty for both events.

“More and more people come to participate in the parade every year,” said an attendee who only gave his first name, Daniel, citing fear of stigmatization, and wore a winged centaur costume and vampire teeth.

“Gender equality … is very important, especially in Asia where there are still many conservative countries,” he added. “Taiwan is relatively democratic and free, so everyone comes to Taiwan to participate in the parade for gender equality and speak up for equal rights.”

Nick Van Halderen, a drag performer from New Zealand who lives in Taipei, expressed excitement about reuniting with friends from across the region.

“I feel like after COVID, it’s just very special to have everyone come from overseas again,” Van Halderen said. “It still feels like quite a novelty.”

The Taiwan Pride parade began in 2003 with just 700 participants gathering in a park in central Taipei — most of them wearing face masks to avoid stigmatization.

Organizers of Saturday’s event said they hoped to create a safe space where everyone felt comfortable to express themselves.

Associated Press writer Simina Mistreanu contributed to this report.

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants revel through a street during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants revel through a street during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants revel through a street during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants revel through a street during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants revel through a street during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

A participant poses during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, center, cheers during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, first from right, cheers during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants revel through a street during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants pose during the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Participants attend the annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

LONDON (AP) — Thieves with a nose for fine cheese have pulled off a massive cheddar ripoff in London.

Neal’s Yard Dairy said a con artist posing as a wholesale distributor for a major French retailer had made off with 22 metric tons (48,488 pounds) of award-winning cheddar worth 300,000 British pounds ($390,000) before the company realized it had been scammed and reported the theft on Monday.

“The high monetary value of these cheeses likely made them a particular target for the thieves,” Neal's Yard Dairy, a distributor, wholesaler, and retailer of British artisanal cheese, said in a statement.

Detectives at Scotland Yard and international authorities are searching for the culprits.

Nearly 1,000 wheels of cloth-wrapped cheese from three makers have gone missing: Hafod Welsh organic cheddar, Westcombe cheddar, and Pitchfork cheddar.

The dairy sells a wedge of Hafod cheddar for 12.90 pounds ($16.70) for 270 grams (9.5 ounces).

Tom Calver, a director of Westcombe Dairy, said a lot of work went into making the cheese that was aged 12 to 18 months.

“We're devastated,” Calver said. “For that to be stolen ... it's absolutely terrible.”

Neal's Yard Dairy has asked international cheesemongers to be on the lookout for the stolen cheese, particularly in 10-kilogram (22-pound) and 24-kilogram (52-pound) blocks.

It says it has paid all three cheesemakers in full, in keeping with its ethos of supporting small independent businesses developing the British cheese sector.

FILE - Clothbound Cheddar is pictured, on Feb. 18, 2008, in Concord, New Hampshire. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe, File)