HBO pulls young Harry Potter stars from the Oxford Street Christmas lights switch-on over fears of trans-rights protests

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.

Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout — the child actors playing Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger in HBO's new series — will be absent from the November 9 event after HBO met with the Metropolitan Police over public disorder concerns. JK Rowling's publicly stated views on trans rights have made the Oxford Street Harry Potter tie-in a flashpoint, with lobby groups petitioning Mayor Sadiq Khan to scrap it entirely.

The Good Law Project warned Harry Potter lights would not make trans people feel 'Christmassy, welcome, or safe.'

Oxford Street is also opening the UK's largest official Harry Potter flagship store on November 4, days before the switch-on.

The Metropolitan Police will still attend throughout to support the event alongside partner agencies.

Evening StandardNew Harry Potter TV stars to miss Oxford Street lights switch-on The IndependentHarry Potter child stars pulled from Oxford Street Christmas event amid protest fears The SunHarry Potter stars won't appear at Oxford Street Xmas event over trans protests

Read today's full feed at The Newshound →