The Times:

A council refused to grant a legal order shielding a feminist organisation from antisocial behaviour hours after trans activists smashed up its conference venue.

More than 2,000 people are due to attend the three-day conference hosted by Filia, which started on Friday. Organisers say the twice-yearly event is aimed at defending women’s rights and challenging sex-based injustices.

On Thursday night, under the cover of darkness, masked transgender rights campaigners attacked the venue in Brighton.

The activists, who call themselves “Bash Back”, later released video on social media of them smashing the glass frontage of the Brighton Centre, which they said was hosting a conference that would be attended by “hate groups”.

Yes, you know: groups that hate violence against women, rape, bullying, forgetting that women exist, all that stuff. So hatey.

The organisers of the conference told The Times that on Monday this week they submitted an urgent application to Brighton and Hove city council for a public spaces protection order (PSPO) over fears of an attack. Local authorities can issue an order to prevent nuisances or antisocial behaviour in public areas.

Filia said in its application that it expected trans rights activists to target the conference and try to disrupt the proceedings.

Legal papers submitted to the council cited an Instagram post from a group called the Trans Liberation Front on September 18. It described the conference as “Europe’s Largest Transphobic Convention” and invited protesters to “wear a mask and something colourful” and to “bring signs and noisemakers”.

Women must not be allowed to meet and discuss and have thoughts. Women must be drowned out and terrorized by angry men or the world will fall to pieces.

On Friday morning, after the vandalism of the night before, Brighton and Hove city council wrote back to Filia refusing their application.

Now that we see how urgent the need is, we refuse.