Pirouetting among the crowds in front of Eros in roller-skates, black chaps and pink cowboy hat (fringed silver stiletto boots in hand for the club later), Willow Collins said to be at London Pride for the first time was “magical”.

“It’s the first time I’ve been fully able to come out to my family and be myself. It’s so magical to be here,” said the 20-year-old, surrounded by thousands of rainbow-clad crowds waiting for the parade to pass through Piccadilly Circus on Saturday.

The student and retail worker was one of many attending the event for the first time.

‘It’s the first time I’ve been fully able to come out to my family and be myself,’ said Willow Collins. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

Among them was construction worker Pat Ronan, 51. Wearing a T-shirt that said: “I’m proud of you. Free dad hugs”, he said he was there in support of his two daughters.

“It makes you realise how lucky we are,” said Lacey, 24, of her dad. “He’s so into it.”

But while the atmosphere was largely jovial, this year’s parade had strong political messages – from trans rights to the climate crisis.

“It’s more of a protest than a carnival,” said Samson, 34, a support worker, in response to religious placards. “As you can see, the Christian group here is trying to discourage people. We’re here to protest against them.”

Pride marchers and fundamentalist Christians confront each other in Piccadilly Circus. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

Amid growing anti-trans rhetoric, many said it was especially important to support Pride.

Erin Hughes was carrying a pink trans rights placard. The 17-year-old from Woking, Surrey, who identifies as they/them, said: “It’s important for people to know that trans people are just people. They deserve to be treated with respect.”

The government, they added, need to do more to support trans people. “A lot of the decisions they’re making are reinforcing the hate that’s being targeted towards trans people lately.”

Lexi Kane, 34, from Farnham, Surrey, said: “It’s lovely to just be among everyone who’s like me. We won’t be forced back into the closet and this is a show of that.” Anne Coombes, 65, from Reading, added: “Well said. We’re being attacked from all sides.”

Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted the parade in reaction to Pride’s acceptance of sponsorship money from “high-polluting industries”.

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Protesters were arrested after blocking the road in front of a Coca-Cola truck on Piccadilly, temporarily halting the parade.

From left: Lexi Kane, Anne Coombes and fellow Pride attenders. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

In a statement, LGBTQ+ members of the group said: “These partnerships embarrass the LGBTQ+ community at a time when much of the cultural world is rejecting ties to these toxic industries.”

LGBTQ+ people are “suffering first” in the “accelerating social breakdown” caused by the climate crisis, they added. “Pride was born from protest.”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said before the parade that Just Stop Oil was a “really important pressure group”. He added: “It’s really important to recognise the joy of a democracy is protest.”

In Trafalgar Square, banners around a stage read “Never march alone” and “We march with our trans family”. Performers included the singer Louis III. When he called for the crowd to “make noise for queerness, queer love”, he was met with cheers and waving Pride flags.