Hundreds of people descended on St Michael’s Street to protest against professor Kathleen Stock’s talk at the Oxford Union.

Carrying banners with messages proclaiming that ‘our existence is not a debate’ and ‘hate speech isn’t free speech’, the demonstrators spent more than an hour and a half chanting and playing pop music.

They were joined on the road by a small number of counter-protesters, who expressed support for Kathleen Stock.

READ MORE: Protester glues themselves to floor of Oxford Union

Addi Diman, 20, who organised the protest against the Union event, said: “Believe it or not I don’t care about Kathleen Stock and I don’t care about Oxford Union.

“What I care about is the trans community in Oxford. I want them to know we have their back. This is a celebration of trans power and trans rights.”

Carrying her rescued Border Collie, Teddy, law student Sarah Ourednickova, said: “I don’t want to be giving a platform to a transphobe.”

Prof Stock’s talk – and the demo – came four days before Oxford Pride, which celebrating its 20th anniversary on Saturday.

Luna Katherin Knapman, 25, said: “This is a chance for us to show it’s not about hate, trans is love.”

Facing the protesters was a small group of counter-demonstrators. One woman held the suffragette flag of the Women’s Social and Political Union, while another carried a small cardboard sign onto which had been written ‘DOC STOCK ROCKS’.

READ MORE: Live updates as Prof Stock appears at Oxford Union

Jessica Evans, 60, had brought her own computer-printed A4 poster along. She said she supported those in the main demonstration’s right to protest, provided they did not prevent others from talking.

“No one benefits when you can’t have really robust debate,” she said.

There was good-natured interaction between the two groups, with any conversations attracting the bug-eyed lenses of the press pack’s photographers and TV cameras.

The interruption from a puffa-jacketed proselytiser attracted some bemusement as the man, his bible open at John 15 in which Jesus comforts his disciples, shouted in a vain attempt to be heard over the chants of the crowd. “There was no other gender,” he cried, only to be drowned out by the protesters.

Later, three young men appeared non-plussed by the noise from the crowd as they stood outside the Three Goat Heads pub chatting among themselves.

“People have a right to protest,” one of the friends said.

His mate, balancing his half-drunk ale as he rolled a cigarette, nodded to this reporter. “As you say, I’m having a pint.”