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HBO pulls Harry Potter child stars from the Oxford Street lights switch-on amid protest fears over JK Rowling's views on trans rights

The HBO Harry Potter series is also tied to the UK's largest official Harry Potter flagship store, opening on Oxford Street on 4 November.
The HBO Harry Potter series is also tied to the UK's largest official Harry Potter flagship store, opening on Oxford Street on 4 November.

HBO confirmed the three child leads — Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton, who play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger — will skip the November 9 Oxford Street event after bosses met Metropolitan Police over public disorder concerns. The network cited busy filming schedules and education commitments, though the protest threat was reportedly the real driver.

A Good Law Project petition calling on Sadiq Khan to scrap the Harry Potter-themed lights altogether has gathered more than 10,000 signatures.

Signatories argue that Harry Potter branding will not make trans people 'feel Christmassy, welcome, or safe' on one of London's busiest streets.

The row follows activists disrupting the 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' gala red carpet last month and JK Rowling's essay branding trans activism 'elitist'.

MoreEvening StandardNew Harry Potter TV stars to miss Oxford Street lights switch-onThe IndependentHarry Potter child stars pulled from Oxford Street Christmas event amid protest fearsPinkNewsHBO pulls young Harry Potter cast from London event amid protests - PinkNews
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