Homophobia complaint filed after Nottingham Pride
August 6th, 2010 by Siobhan.McGuirk
A member of the public has filed an official complaint of homophobia to Nottinghamshire Police, in response to anti-Pride posters put up around the city, coinciding with the 31 July event.
A group of men were seen putting up the stickers and posters, which featured a rainbow flag with the words “Gay Free Area” written over it. This was followed by a quote from the Qur’an which, in the words of the complainant, “wasn’t complimentary”.
He added, “I’m not gay but found the sentiment extremely offensive, blatant homophobia I’d say. If stickers were going around saying Muslim Free Area I’m pretty sure there’d be one hell of a fuss made about it.”
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “We are aware that posters and stickers, which oppose homosexuality, were distributed among parts of Nottingham, prior to the Pride March …we have forwarded one sticker and one poster to the Crown Prosecution Service to establish whether this material amounts to a criminal offence.”
Posters advertising an “Anti-Gay Pride Protest” were also distributed around the city in the week leading up to the Pride event. Following Police advice after a similar protest was held at Derby Pride, Nottingham organisers warned participants that they might face abuse while marching.
A group of approximately 15 protesters met the Pride march at the entrance to Forest Fields Recreational Ground, where over 1,000 LGBT families, individuals and their supporters gathered after the parade to enjoy live music and political speeches.
Nottingham Chief Inspector Andy Burton told The Evening Post: “A small protest was formed near to the main event site but this passed off peacefully and respectfully and was over by midday.” Festival goer Jen O’Kane, from Broxtowe, added: “We’ve been fighting for gay rights for 20 years. If people are protesting against us, then it’s disgusting really.”
The Islamic Standard website has posted their own take on the protest, along with videos, stating: “It is harder to imagine a more open and evil deed than the spiritual descendents of the people of Sodom (obviously they cannot have physical descendents because of the evil they do) marching through the streets declaring they have pride in their evil deeds.”
Be great if they read the story of Sodom properly, and discovered that the crime of Sodom is explicitly stated to be the city’s failure to welcome visitors and feed its own poor.
Kay ∼ August 9th, 2010 4:26 pmFreedom means freedom of speech. In a diverse society, it is inevitable that some groups will be offended by someone statingthye truth as they see it. Tough titty.It’s one of freedoms pay-outs.
George ∼ August 11th, 2010 5:42 pmI loathe PC,but I am offended every day by its proponents in the media and politics who brand me a bigot for having a position ncontrary to PC.
That is their,and your, privelege.
the homosexual and lesbain lobby are utterly hypocritical. Once,those who spoke in favour of it were prosecuted under indecency laws, now they scream for those who dissent to be prosecuted and persecuted under B-Lair’s “hate ” laws.
I’m straight and non-orientation in my outlook. I’m not too bothered what adults do provided it isn’t illegal or it doesn’t hurt anyone. Can anybody tell me what is the point of so-called “Pride” marches?
Peter ∼ July 29th, 2011 11:21 amThere isn’t anything to protest about now. Homophobia and discrimination against the LGBT community is now and rightly so illegal. Could you imagine a parade celebrating a Heterosexual lifestyle?