World Pride parade sets off with watertight security in place

As well as political leaders, for the first time the parade was headed up by refugees and disabled people when it set off at 17.00 from the Carlos V roundabout with 60 giant banners and 52 floats in its midst.

Although largely just a fun carnival these days in western nations, World Pride is also a celebration of how far society has come in terms of same-sex love, marriage and family units being recognised as 'normal' where, barely 20 years ago, bisexual, lesbian and gay people were frequently ostracised and had to be careful whom they told as revelation could lead to job loss, friends deserting them and a breakdown in family relationships.

But this year's World Pride is focused on calling for the same recognition across the globe, since over 70 countries still consider homosexuality a criminal offence, even where it is not 'practised'; some even impose the death penalty or life imprisonment; and the number of countries where same-sex couples have no legal protection or the right to marry remains in the majority.

Even parts of modern western Europe are lagging behind: Germany has only just approved same-sex marriage this week, the UK did not do so until 2014 and only in England, Scotland and Wales since Northern Ireland still refuses to recognise it, and the EU was forced to intervene in Italy to order the country to at least allow civil cohabitation rights as it continues to declare same-sex marriage illegal.

Spain is statistically one of the most accepting and open countries in the world towards lesbians, gay men and bisexuals, and after The Netherlands and Belgium, became the third country on the planet to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption – a long time before most of its neighbours; in fact, those couples who arranged their weddings as soon as it became legal have now been married for 12 years.

Security is watertight for this year's parade, with over 3,500 members of the police and other forces on the ground, including sniffer-dogs and eve helicopters, in light of the recent spate of terrorist attacks in the UK and, earlier, in France and Belgium.

This said, there has been no indication that any possible attacks were likely to be planned ahead of the Pride festival, which runs until tomorrow (Sunday, July 2).