200 protesters gathered outside the Tory HQ (Photo: OutRage!)
Approximately 200 gay rights campaigners amassed outside the Conservative Party headquarters in Westminster to protest at what they say is a lack of gay rights policies by Britain’s main opposition party. The event was dubbed David Cameron’s ‘coming out party’.
The event was organised by Green party activist and gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell with the lesbian environmental activist Tamsin Omond. The event was originally organised via Facebook on the basis that David Cameron had no policies relating to gay rights, and followed comments by shadow home secretary Chris Grayling that appeared to support the rights of bed and breakfast owners to ban gay couples.
A number of the campaigners drew with chalk on the walls of the Conservative Party building and on the surrounding pavements. The Conservative Party meanwhile handed out free icecream to all those attending. One vocal protester told PinkNews.co.uk: “They’ll give us free ice-cream but they won’t give us equal rights!”
The event was peaceful and followed an off-camera meeting between Mr Tatchell and shadow Chancellor George Osborne.
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