‘Blood on Her Hands’: Protest Erupts at Harry Potter Store Opening

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents ‘Blood on Her Hands’: Protest Erupts at Harry Potter Store Opening.

Store Opening Disrupted in London

Harry Potter fans were met by demonstrators on Wednesday as the new flagship store on London's Oxford Street opened. They stood beside the entrance with megaphones and placards, directing their criticism at author J. K. Rowling.

According to Deadline, the protesters shouted that Rowling had blood on her hands. Variety reported that the signs called for the protection of transgender people and an end to funding for “trans erasure.”

Blood on her hands.

How Many Demonstrators Were There?

Reports agree on the central issue of the protest but cite different numbers. Deadline refers to roughly a dozen demonstrators, while Variety reports about 16 people. The discrepancy cannot be resolved from the available reports.

The Hollywood Reporter describes the store as the largest Harry Potter store in the United Kingdom. Rowling had already been criticized before the opening over her views on gender identity; the report also refers to the upcoming HBO television adaptation.

For fans, the store's launch was therefore marked not only by queues: the opening became the scene of a political confrontation over Rowling's stance and the role of the brand.

As of: November 2026, exact time not specified.