05/05/2023
As we have previously reported, LGBT+ people have a wide range of views on the institution of the British monarchy, but one thing that unites them is an understanding that people have the right to protest against any institution of the state. Symon Hill, the bisexual peace activist and progressive Christian, who has worked with the Peace Pledge Union and the gay friendly Christian think tank Ekklesia, speaks on Friday with the communist daily paper Morning Star. Mr Hill fears that the police, encouraged by a snarling attitude towards all forms of protest in the right wing papers, will try to stop even peaceful displays of dissent at the Coronation on Saturday May 6th. The Morning Star reports "New laws have come into force this week giving police greater powers to deal with protesters, including arrest for locking on, a tactic used to make it harder for officers to move demonstrators. “In the last few days we’ve seen the new Public Order Act rushed through, a threatening letter sent by the Home Office to the organisers of a peaceful and lawful protest, and the Metropolitan Police boasting about how low the threshold for protest will be,” Mr Hill said. “This follows weeks of scurrilous stories in certain newspapers involving ludicrous claims about republicans’ supposed plans for violent disruption. This is all contributing to an atmosphere that seems to be aimed at deterring people from exercising their right to peaceful protest." Meanwhile, the gay human rights campaigner and democratic socialist Peter Tatchell explained why he was opposed to the institution, when he posted on Thursday "Royal wealth is obscene: 23 royal palaces & residences. 700 servants. Private wealth of £2 billion (King Charles personally has £1.8 billion). That's five times more than their known wealth at the time of the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Much private royal wealth was gained through bloody conquest, looting, slavery & the appropriation of state gifts & property. And King Charles inherited about £1 billion from the Queen without paying a penny in inheritance tax. Royals think they are superior to everyone else, annointed by god and exempt from the laws that apply to the rest of us.
Privileged, arrogant and elitist! Abolish the monarchy! Time for a low-cost, purely ceremonial head of state, like Ireland or Germany!"
https://www.petertatchell.net/
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/
https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/
