Trans activists have defaced a statue of the suffragist Millicent Fawcett as part of their protest against the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman.
It comes as thousands came together for what was billed as an 'emergency demonstration' in London 's Parliament Square today.
At least seven statues were vandalised during the rally as activists demanded 'trans liberation' and 'trans rights now', with some waving flags and holding banners.
'F** rights' and a heart were chalked onto the banner held by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, and 'trans rights are human rights' were spray-painted on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader Jan Christian Smuts.
The square is home to 12 statues of political figures including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi.
No arrests have been made, but Metropolitan Police said they are investigating the incidents as criminal damage.
The force added that its officers were in Parliament Square at the time, but did not witness any defacing of the statues.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who was leading the policing operation for the protest, said: 'It is very disappointing to see damage to seven statues and property in the vicinity of the protest today.
'We support the public's right to protest but criminality like this is completely unacceptable. We are now investigating this criminal damage and urge anyone with any information to come forward.'
Trans activists have defaced a statue of the suffragette Millicent Fawcett as part of their protest against the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman
At least two statues in Parliament Square were daubed with graffiti during the rally, with 'f** rights' and a heart painted on the banner held by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, and 'trans rights are human rights' sprayed on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader and statesman Jan Christian Smuts
Thousands of trans rights protesters have gathered in central London days after a Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman
Trans rights groups, trade unions and community organisations came together for what was billed as an 'emergency demonstration' in Parliament Square
In a long-awaited judgment delivered on Wednesday, the UK's highest court confirmed the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. Pictured: Trans activists stand on a platform as they protest the Supreme Court ruling in London today
Pictured: Activists hold signs that read: 'Life feels like a black mirror episode right now' and 'Don't hate me because I'm beautiful'
Activists demanded 'trans liberation' and 'trans rights now', with some waving flags and holding banners
Campaigners march along Broadway
Among the groups supporting the London protest are Trans Kids Deserve Better, Pride in Labour, the Front for the Liberation of Intersex Non-binary and Transgender people (Flint) and TransActual
In a long-awaited judgment delivered on Wednesday, the UK's highest court confirmed the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'.
This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'.
The Government said the unanimous decision by five judges brought 'clarity and confidence' for women and service providers, while a Labour Party source said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had brought the party to a 'common sense position' on the subject from an 'activist' stance.
The ruling means trans women cannot use single-sex female toilets, changing rooms or compete in women's sports, according to the head of Britain's equalities watchdog.
Among the groups supporting the London protest are Trans Kids Deserve Better, Pride in Labour, the Front for the Liberation of Intersex Non-binary and Transgender people (Flint) and TransActual.
Thousands of trans rights protesters also took to the streets of Edinburgh this afternoon following the Supreme Court ruling.
Demonstrators waved flags and signs and chanted slogans as they gathered at the foot of the Mound, in the heart of the Scottish capital, before marching to the UK Government offices at Queen Elizabeth House.
Speakers addressed the crowd using megaphones, and led the demonstrators in chants that included 'Trans rights are human rights' and 'When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Fight back'.
Thousands of trans rights protesters also took to the streets of Edinburgh this afternoon
Demonstrators waved flags and signs and chanted slogans as they gathered at the foot of the Mound, in the heart of the Scottish capital
The protestors marched towards the UK Government offices at Queen Elizabeth House
People from trans rights groups and community organisations take part in a rally organised by Resisting Transphobia outside Queen Elizabeth House
Protesters gathered in their numbers with signs such as 'trans women are women' and 'protect trans rights'
Lauren Yeoman, 38, said she was taking part in the demonstration because she was 'disgusted' at what she said amounted to the removal of trans people's human rights.
Describing how she felt when she learned of the Supreme Court ruling she said: 'I felt sick to be honest. I think we're taking a lot of backward steps.
'It feels like every day women are being attacked, minorities are being attacked, and the real problem is being ignored, and we're pointing fingers at people who aren't harming anybody, such as trans people, while ignoring the real problems.'
Katelyn Collins, 44, said she was taking part in the march to give 'moral support, emotional support' to other transgender people.
She said of the ruling: 'I found it shocking, the fact that they're picking on us, and it should not happen.
'I was disgraced with it but it didn't bring me down, because I'm proud to be who I am.'
Tirion Dickson, 68, attended the march holding a sign reading 'Grans for trans', which she explained had been made for her by her daughter-in-law.
The retired NHS worker said she was taking part to 'give support' to the trans community, and said people of her generation should 'know better'.
Protesters gather in Edinburgh following the Supreme Court ruling earlier this week
In an Instagram post ahead of the protest, Resisting Transphobia said the ruling was 'a sham that legitimises the hate movement to force trans people out of public life, and is an attack on everyone's freedom and autonomy'
The ruling resolved a long-running legal dispute between the activist group For Women Scotland and the Scottish government
The judgment confirmed the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'
'I hope in my lifetime that this group of people will be as accepted as other minority groups have been over time since the 1960s,' she said.
Meanwhile Brianna Burt, 34, said she was taking part because she was 'enraged' at the Supreme Court ruling, which she said would harm the rights of 'all minority groups'.
The rally and march was organised by Resisting Transphobia, and took place alongside similar events elsewhere in the country on Saturday.
In an Instagram post ahead of the protest, Resisting Transphobia said the ruling was 'a sham that legitimises the hate movement to force trans people out of public life, and is an attack on everyone's freedom and autonomy'.
Avery Greatorex, co-chair of Pride in Labour, said: 'Not a single trans person or trans organisation was represented in that case, and so we weren't given an opportunity to have a seat at the table which is obviously a very concerning thing for our community when decisions are being made without us.
'So the protest was organised to put pressure on the Government, on the public to act. To be able to secure the rights of transgender people and to secure those protections, we need legislative power and we need lobbying power.'
Asked whether further protests could take place in the future, she added: 'All across the country there are really scared trans people, and this ruling almost gives transphobic organisations permission to go even further, because they've got a legal precedent to do so.
'There isn't really much of a choice but to keep acting and to keep protesting, so it is very possible that this does not stop until the community has the protections it needs.'
It comes after Transgender celebrities and activists have vowed to defy the Supreme Court's gender judgment by ignoring any new rules on single-sex bathrooms that are introduced as a result. Ant Lexa (pictured), who plays Abbi Montgomery in Netflix series Sex Education, described feeling 'heartbroken'
A spokesperson for Trans Kids Deserve Better said: 'The transmisogyny that led to this court ruling is unacceptable. Though this ruling has brought another wave of fear to the trans community, we will continue to fight for our rights and freedoms'. Pictured: Campaigners take part in a rally organised by trans rights groups in London
Pictured: Trans rights activists protesting The supreme Court judgement today
Trans influencers railed against the judgment on social media by posting videos of their horrified reactions, with one - Bel Priestly (pictured) - telling her 1.4million followers that Britain was 'going backwards'
Heather Herbert (pictured), a trans campaigner and former Labour MSP candidate, claimed her community were 'under attack'
A spokesperson for Trans Kids Deserve Better said: 'The transmisogyny that led to this court ruling is unacceptable. Though this ruling has brought another wave of fear to the trans community, we will continue to fight for our rights and freedoms.
'When you attack trans women you attack all trans people and all women. Our rights do not oppose each other, they go hand in hand, and we will keep fighting until we're all free.'
Speakers from across the Labour movement and trans activist networks are expected to address the crowd at the London demonstration throughout the afternoon.
A spokesperson for the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), who were named among the protest's supporters, said: 'We have not authorised the use of our logo on any materials relating to this demonstration and we have not taken any position on this event.
'RMT supports the Equality Act which provides protections for women and trans people facing discrimination and we have a proud history of fighting all forms of oppression both in Britain and internationally.'
It comes after Transgender celebrities and activists have vowed to defy the Supreme Court's gender judgment by ignoring any new rules on single-sex bathrooms that are introduced as a result.
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner has described the judgment as 'enormously consequential' and promised to pursue organisations which do not update their policies.
But it provoked a furious reaction from trans influencers, who vowed to continue using single-sex bathrooms.
The Supreme Court ruling means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'. Pictured: Protesters in Parliament Square
The Edinburgh march will see demonstrators gather at the foot of the Mound before marching to the UK Government building. Pictured: Protests in Edinburgh today
After the ruling, a trans Twitter personality calling herself Tiffany Jones vowed to continue using the women's bathroom because she is still a woman. In a now-deleted video, another trans woman suggested that she would continue using the women's bathroom because the public would be unable to tell her biological identity.
Married at First Sight star Ella Morgan declared, 'I still myself as a woman, whether I am on paper or not'. The 31-year-old claimed that trans people are now bearing the brunt of the damage caused by the likes of rapist Isla Bryson.
'I hate to say this, but for the first time since I have had that title and role I actually do feel nervous and scared not only for myself but for the community because it's the unknown,' she told Good Morning Britain.
Former Labour MSP candidate Heather Herbert claimed trans people are now 'under attack'.
In a BB interview after the ruling, Herbert asked: 'Do you think I should be allowed in the women's toilets? If I'm not, if you're implying that I shouldn't, that would mean that I don't have any ability to be in public life at all. I can't go to work because you're saying that I can't use the loo at work.'
TikToker @witchoteast, a trans woman, said that as a protest she would not be 'visiting all the men's bathrooms.'
Meanwhile, trans influencers railed against the judgment on social media by posting videos of their horrified reactions, with one - Bel Priestly - telling her 1.4million followers that Britain was 'going backwards'.
Ant Lexa, who plays Abbi Montgomery in Netflix series Sex Education, described feeling 'heartbroken'.
The Sex Education star is one of the most prominent public figures to have spoken out against the judgment.
'Getting myself out of bed this morning was hard after receiving this news,' she told Channel 4 News.
'I am, first and foremost, a woman. That doesn't feel like some political stance. It just feels like who I am. And it has always felt like who I am.
'So not being recognised within law, especially a law that is designed to protect us, and that was why it was there, just feels terrifying.
'Not even about today, but the precedent that it's setting for not just the UK, but across the world. It just has left me feeling unprotected.'
Also speaking out was Rose Schmits, an artist from Channel 4 reality series The Great Pottery Throw Down, who declared she would 'p*** on the steps of Downing Street' before she used a men's toilet. She also shared a photo of a ceramic bowl with a caption reading: 'Emergency trans toilet'.
