On Saturday, the transgender community, trans organisations and their allies came together across the country to protest the legislation – also targeting seven statues in the capital.

The defacement of the Millicent Fawcett statue, which commemorates the suffragist leader, has drawn particular concern from heritage groups.

Hodgson said: “Now, if that’s not the case and it is somebody who is a trans activist, then my question is why? Millicent Fawcett has given women the right to vote. If you’re a trans woman, you have the right to vote.

“So I don’t really understand the logic unless it’s for sheer theatre. It’s not winning friends, and it doesn’t win it for me, even though I’m in favour of what they’re protesting.”

Delivering his verdict on the protests, political commentator Christian Calgie argued that often transgender activists are associated with “radical extremism”.

Calgie explained: “I think the problem for the trans movement is that so often, those that are trans and those with the loudest voices in the community are their own worst enemies. And I think what it comes from is that very often being transgender comes hand in hand with quite a radical extremism.

“A lot of them spend a lot of time online, they whip themselves up into a hysteria. Online you can say things like ‘burn terfs’, and then they actually leave their homes, which I think is quite rare for some of them, and they encounter the real world hate speech laws.”

Police continue to review footage from the protest and have promised to take action if any displayed signs are found to breach the law.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for the protest, condemned the vandalism: “Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.”

He added: “We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible.”