James May claims Pride has been ‘hijacked’ after sparking row with rant about the amount of rainbow flag bunting on display being ‘authoritarian’

James May has accused Pride of being ‘hijacked’ after sparking a row on social media by calling the number of LGBTQ+ rainbow flags ‘authoritarian’.

The ex-Top Gear presenter, 61, insisted his views were simply based on disapproval of parts of the decorations covering the streets of London – adding that it is ‘healthy’ for people to talk about them during Pride Month .

It comes after the Amazon star sparked anger when he branded the event’s flags as ‘oppressive’ – even suggesting the Second World War started with ‘Too Much Bunting’.

He also spoke out against colleague Jeremy Clarkson’s attack on Surrey Police after one of their officers mowed down a cow on a residential street in Feltham, west London, in an exclusive chat with MailOnline on Friday.

Enjoying a cigarette and a cup of tea after a ‘delicious’ lunch of eggs and chips, Mr May said: ‘I don’t think it has been hijacked – no, it has. I think it’s been commercialized.

“But I don’t think that’s a secret; I think a lot of LGBT people would possibly agree with that.

‘But that wasn’t actually the intention of my tweet. I just said I don’t like a lot of flags. I think a lot of people don’t do that.’

Pride events have repeatedly been criticized for losing their focus on human rights – with gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell slamming the London parade for being ‘too corporate and commercial’ on the 50th anniversary of Britain’s first march.

Last week, May’s post received thousands of comments and likes, with some saying they were ‘confused’ by the point he was trying to make, while others said: ‘I agree, less is more when it comes to hanging things above the street.’ .

He shared the message alongside an image of the Pride bunting hung along Regent Street in central London, although it is unclear whether this was a photo from this year’s celebrations or not.

Many criticized his comments, with some saying they were “confused” by the point he was trying to make.

One person wrote: ‘I hope you’re not insinuating that the LGBTQ+ community is somehow in danger of starting World War III because of some rainbow flags James?’

But May remained firm in his position, saying: ‘I won’t do that, no. Stand up’.

Another commenter said: ‘With respect, comparing the LGBT community to Nazis is deeply offensive. Very disappointed, James.’

But May refuted claims he was comparing the LGBT community to the Nazis, responding: ‘I didn’t do that, did I?’

But speaking from his home in Hammersmith, London, the Man Lab star continued: “A lot of people are saying that tweeting about it has brought out a lot of homophobes, and there’s a bit of that, but I think the haters – like they say online: the haters are going to hate.

‘So if I had said, ‘Hey Pride is great! I think they should have more flags!’ – no matter what I had said, they would have gotten out.

‘I had a very nice exchange with India Willoughby. The point is that people are talking about it, and that’s healthy.

‘One or two people have said if you’re not positive don’t talk about it, but it wouldn’t make any difference. You can’t say – well let’s not talk about it – because the whole reason Pride Month happens is because we talk about it, which I think is very healthy. I don’t see it doing any harm.’

May also took the opportunity to support his colleague Jeremy Clarkson – after the fearless farmer criticized Surrey Police for mowing down an escaped calf with their patrol car, seen in horrific footage.

The animal, called Beau Lucy, was thrown 30 feet when she was hit by a 4×4 in Feltham, west London, on Friday.

On social media on Sunday, Clarkson said angrily: ‘I will vote for any party that stops the police from running over cows.’

And his once embattled colleague backed his stance – although he admitted the motoring journalist had a “vested interest” because he raises cattle.

May said, “I actually agree with him about the cow. In general, the police are supposed to prevent people and animals from being run over, but Jeremy clearly has a vested interest because he owns cows.

‘I have never considered cows dangerous. Because there used to be cows in a field near where I stayed – I would often go into the field and they would come up to me and try to lick my face.

‘I never thought cows were a threat. I mean, they trample things, but they’re not tigers or dangerous dogs, they’re just damn cows! Actually, they’re pretty useless.”

Beau Lucy has now returned home to recover, with her owner telling Channel 5 News she is ‘grouch and bruised’ but otherwise in a ‘remarkable condition’ despite her ordeal.

But yesterday a farmer and union leader claimed police were ‘probably right’ when they rammed the escaped calf.

Hugh Broom, chairman of the National Farmers’ Union for livestock farming in the south-east of the country, said that although the images looked “horrendous”, officers were probably “doing the right thing” at the time.

The ten-month-old cow suffered abrasions and a large cut on her leg when she was mowed down.

The disturbing images sparked widespread anger and Surrey Police later announced that the officer behind the wheel had been removed from the front line pending an investigation.

Mr Broom told BBC Radio Surrey: ‘Although the whole thing looks awful, and it does for everyone, they probably did the right thing at the time.

‘The other option is to shoot the animal. Would you want to use a gun in such an environment on a dark Friday evening in a built-up area?’

Mr Broom added: ‘God forbid it had gone the other way and the animal ran away and bumped into someone, sent a child away, sent everyone away, [which is] That was perfectly possible and they were seriously injured or worse.

‘People would say: ‘Why wasn’t the animal stopped?’

But despite Mr Broom trying to justify the incident, Beau Lucy’s owner has expressed fears the cow will become infertile.

The calf was labeled a “breeding cow” from birth, saving her a one-way trip to a slaughterhouse in favor of a lifetime of grazing in lush pastures with generations of her own calves.

Cows usually start giving birth around two to three years of age and continue to do so for about ten years.

Now friends of the farmer worry that the stress of the attack has left her unable to reproduce, leaving him without a humane way to recoup the investment in her feeding and care if Surrey Police aren’t there succeeds in paying the compensation.

If Beau Lucy is unable to give birth due to her injuries, the owner will have wasted thousands of pounds on her at a time when many farmers are struggling to make ends meet.