Labour's attack on liberties now extends to gays

[xmasdale]

Peter Tatchell writes:

Harriet Harman MP jeered at Gay Pride



Labour's abuse of gay asylum seekers condemned

Pride stewards manhandle Tatchell, threaten to arrest him

Iranian President ridiculed in protest at homophobic persecution

London – 7 July 2008

Harriet Harman MP, government minister and deputy leader of the Labour
Party, was booed and heckled as she spoke from the main stage at the
gay Pride London celebrations in Trafalgar Square yesterday (5 July
2008).

"At several points during her speech a bewildered Ms Harman appeared
to waiver and had to struggle to be heard," said gay human rights
campaigner Peter Tatchell, who was at the side of the stage.

"It got so bad that the gay Pride organisers came on stage and
appealed to the crowd to stop jeering and listen to what she had to
say. Their appeal had limited effect.

"Hundreds of people in the crowd expressed their anger at the way the
Labour government is locking up gay asylum seekers, refusing them
refugee status and ordering them to be sent back to violently
homophobic countries like Algeria, Uganda, Iran, Nigeria, Iraq and
Belarus. Those who are returned are at risk of arrest, imprisonment
torture, rape and even murder.

"I tried to explain the crowd's anger to Ms Harman as she left the
stage. But several gay Pride stewards violently shoved me out of the
way and threatened to have me arrested. It was needless and
unjustified aggression.

"As I was being dragged away by the stewards, Ms Harman shouted for me
to contact her. She said: 'Peter, give me a call and we can discuss
your concerns.' I will take up her offer. I plan to present the
government with a six-point plan to end the homophobic bias of the
asylum system," said Mr Tatchell.

Peter Tatchell had earlier marched in the Pride Parade holding a
poster placard ridiculing the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
It featured a doctored photo of Amhadinejad wearing blue eye shadow,
red lipstick, a gold earring and pink nail varnish. The placard was
emblazoned with the words: "President of Iran. Murderer. Homophobe."
Next to the President's tiny wagging finger was a mocking speech
bubble with the words: "My penis is this big."

See photos of the placard here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outrage/sets/72157605994039273/
These photos are free to use, without charge.

"Sometimes the best way to deflate tyrants is by mocking them," added
Mr Tatchell.

"Ahmadinejad leads a regime that arrests, jails, flogs, tortures and
sometimes executes gay people. It also terrorises trade unionists,
students, women activists, journalists, bloggers, sunni Muslims and
ethnic minorities like the Ahwazi Arabs, Baluchs and Kurds.

"I don't support a military attack on Iran, but I do urge greater
international solidarity with democratic, liberal and progressive
Iranians who are struggling to overthrow the clerical dictatorship
from within," he said.

Speaking from the main stage in Trafalgar Square, Mr Tatchell
condemned "President Amadinejad's violent homophobia" and "the Labour
government's policy of deporting lesbian and gay asylum claimants back
to Iran."

He condemned the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP, who last month
refused requests for a moratorium on the return of gay asylum seekers
to Iran. She claimed "the evidence does not show a real risk of
discovery of, or adverse action against, gay and lesbian people who
are discreet about their sexual orientation."

"This is complete nonsense and deeply insulting," said Mr Tatchell.
"It is like saying that Jews in Nazi Germany were safe if they hid
their Jewishness."

At the start of the march Mr Tatchell met the Mayor of London, Boris
Johnson, urging him to confound his gay critics and show practical
support for London's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
communities.

Mr Tatchell marched in the parade with actor Sir Ian McKellen and
Davis Mac-Iyalla, a leader of the Nigerian gay rights movement.

"Mr Mac-Iyalla was recently forced to flee Nigeria after threats and
attempts to kill him, following homophobic denunciations by the
Anglican Archbishop of Nigeria, Rev Peter Akinola. Akinola is a
leading figure in the conservative splinter group, Gafcon, which
opposes women bishops and gay priests, and which supports punitive
legal discrimination against lesbian and gay people," said Mr
Tatchell.

"Davis arrived in Britain seeking sanctuary but was incarcerated in an
asylum detention centre. The government treated him like a common
criminal. It took a frantic lobbying campaign to pressure the Home
Office to release Davis. He was only set free from Oakington detention
centre at 5pm on Friday, the eve of the Pride London parade. Although
it is good that he was released, the Home Office should have never
incarcerated him in the first place," added Mr Tatchell.

Note:
In 2007 Harriet Harman MP was elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour
Party. She has since been appointed by the Prime Minister to serve as
Chair of the Labour Party, Leader of the House of Commons, Secretary
of State for Equalities, Minister for Women and Lord Privy Seal.

Further information: Peter Tatchell 020 7403 1790

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Peter Tatchell is the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East
www.greenoxford.com/peter and www.petertatchell.net


For information about Peter Tatchell's campaigns: www.petertatchell.net