PC Phil Adlem became a viral sensation when he decided to propose to his partner during London's Pride march last year. The heart-warming video shows Phil, dressed in his full uniform, get down on one knee in front of hundreds of cheering people.
It was a beautiful, candid moment that was caught on film and shared with the world.
But Phil has revealed his regrets about his decision to make his proposal so public. Writing for the Guardian, the police officer says he didn't upload the video himself and was quite taken aback by the sudden attention.
While he received many messages of love and support, Phil admits that the negative comments have been soul destroying. Strangers have told him: "Both should be hanged 'til death", "Absolutely disgusting" and "Don't blame Isis if they strike them!"
He says he even had threats made against him and his fiancΓ©. But the tipping point was when he received a 'hostile reaction at work' and 'another from an old college friend'.
Phil is no stranger to homophobia, revealing that he was savagely beaten by three men on his 18th birthday. But he still is shocked at the amount of vitriol expressed against his sexuality in England in 2017.
He made these comments in the lead-up to this year's Pride, expressing why the annual event is still relevant. While steps have been made to legalise same-sex marriage in most of the UK, Phil admits that there are people who still find him abominable, simply for his sexuality.
Credit: PA
He writes: "Pride is an invaluable source of positivity and strength for anyone who has experienced abuse or bullying. It has evolved far from its roots as a militant protest, and with the support of the media and corporate heavyweights, it is incredibly difficult to ignore.
"This is an unwelcome shift for people who do not tolerate the gay community. It can also create complacency among LGBT supporters while simultaneously galvanising those who would want to do gay people harm, making our progress fragile."
Phil says his comments are also an attempt to silence the calls for a 'straight pride', which emerges every year around the LGBT event. He adds: "When the LGBT community has been forced to cope with violence, criminalisation and persecution for decades, everyone should be able to cope with the existence of Pride without attacking its validity or creating a 'straight pride' under a deluded notion of equality."
It's heartbreaking that one of the most joyous moments of their relationship has been hijacked by a few people - and in turn made a man regret his proposal.
Good on him for speaking up.
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Ben May