Greens call for urgent legislation against homophobic hate crime
15 August 2007
On the 40th anniversary of the Decriminalisation of Homosexuality. the Green Party calls on tighter and tougher legislation against homophobic hate crime, and bring the current laws into line with racially and religiously motivated hate crime.
Green Parliamentary candidate for Oxford East and Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell commented on the campaign:
"Inciting racism is a crime, but inciting homophobia and transphobia is not a crime. Why the double standards? All incitements of hatred should be treated with the same zero tolerance. The encouragement of prejudice is the gateway to discrimination, harassment and violence. It lays the psychological foundation for serious, harmful criminal acts.
"The current laws are clearly inadequate. The police and Crown Prosecution Service have repeatedly failed to prosecute homophobic singers and clerics, even when they advocate, encourage and glorify queer-bashing violence and murder. They would never take such a hands-off approach to hate-mongers who incite violence against black people. The police are seriously failing the LGBT community."
Green Party LGBT activist Phelim MacCafferty added:
"It is unacceptable that there is a disparity in current legislation between racially and religiously motivated hate crimes, and hate crimes which are driven by homophobia. The former is recognised and punished, while the latter is all too often dismissed. I call for a change in the law to re-address this imbalance, and for the strongest action possible to be taken against perpetrators of homophobia.
"The torture and heinous murders of Jordi Dubrowski in Clapham and David Morley on London's South Bank in 2005 sent shock waves through the LGBT communities and led the Green Party to campaign for specific homophobic hate crime legislation.
"We believe that often some of the worst discrimination and violence is felt by the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual & Transgender) community, and for that reason the Greens will push for their absolute protection in law.
