LONDON: Gays To Protest For Marriage Equality At Buckingham Palace

As the entire world becomes enveloped in royal wedding fever, tomorrow LGBT activists led by Peter Tatchell will stage a marriage equality protest at Buckingham Palace. Tatchell:

We plan to deliver a giant wedding card to William and Kate. As well as wishing the royal couple every happiness, we will highlight the fact that William and Kate can marry, but same-sex couples can’t. Our event will urge the royal couple to support moves to end the ban on gay marriage. We want equal marriage rights for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation. Kate and William had a choice. They could get married, or not. Same-sex couples don’t have this choice. We are banned from marriage by law. All welcome. Bring your friends for a party in front of Buckingham Palace. Come with flowers, rainbow flags and pink jack flags.

Facebook event page here.

LONDON: Arrest Made In Anti-Gay "Fear Allah" Sticker Campaign

London police have made an arrest in connection with the anti-gay "Fear Allah" stickers that appeared around the city earlier this year. The stickers prompted the formation of East London Pride, a group that was later revealed to have been organized by one of the co-founders of the violent far-right English Defence League.

An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with homophobic stickers plastered around London’s east end. The teenager, from Leamouth, was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence yesterday, police said. He has been bailed to return to police on Sunday May 8th pending further enquiries. The stickers, which have been found in Brick Lane, Poplar, Bow and Canary Wharf, show a red line through a rainbow flag and the words ‘gay-free zone’. They say: “Arise and warn. Gay free zone. Verily Allah is severe in punishment.” At least 70 have been reported.

Another 18 year-old was detained and released without charges last month after being found in possession of the stickers. The name of the man arrested yesterday has not been disclosed. Some local LGBT activists have long suspected that the stickers were planted by non-Muslim agitators intent on sowing violence between the gay and Muslim communities.

At London's "Snog-A-Thon"

Although London's John Snow Pub locked their doors rather than allow gay protesters inside, the planned "snog-a-thon" went on in the street outside.

London Pub Locks Out "Snog-A-Thon"

The Soho pub that was to be the location of a "massive snog-a-thon" this afternoon has locked their doors rather than allow gay protesters inside. On Wednesday night two gay men were ejected from the pub after its landlady objected to their kissing. Hundreds of would-be snoggers had responded to a Facebook call for action. From the Guardian's live-blog of the protest:

It's become clear that the John Snow pub has closed its doors, presumably fearful of the avalanche of snogging that was about to descend upon it. One Twitter user, who works opposite, reports that a TV crew has arrived and is "filming the locked door whilst bar staff peer from upstairs window". The Press Association has managed to get a few words with Thomas Paget, the licence holder of the pub. He again refused to comment on the row. Asked whether the pub had been the victim of a "misunderstanding", he told PA: "I don't have anything to say."

(Via - Towleroad)

LONDON: Gay Couple Ejected From Soho Pub After Kissing

The UK's Guardian reports that two gay men were ejected by the landlady of a Soho pub after she complained that they had kissed.

Jonathan Williams, a journalist for a financial trade magazine, and James Bull, a charity volunteer, say they were ejected from the John Snow on Broadwick Street, Soho, by a woman who claimed to be the landlady and said they were being "obscene". Bull said he was physically sick after the incident, which happened at about 10.45pm on Wednesday, after the couple had earlier been for dinner on their first date together in Covent Garden. Bull said: "I felt so belittled, and to be made to feel so dirty and cheap over something like that – it's just wrong." The pair say that objections were first raised to their displays of affection shortly after they arrived at 8.30pm by a fellow drinker claiming to be the landlord, who was off duty. They refused what they described as his "polite request" to stop kissing. Williams, 26, and Bull, 23, insist they were not indulging in a "huge display of affection", but were merely kissing on the lips.

This Friday night local activists plan to stage a "massive same-sex snog-a-thon" at the pub, which is not a gay bar but is located in Soho's popular gay village.

(Tipped by JMG reader Oliver)