AGENDA
‘Queer-bash’ murder reveals distrust of police in gay scene
ALAN (‘RUMLISH
Policing the gay community: distrust continues despite attempts to wipe out homophobia in the force
‘We are pleased that it was taken assaulted. you are likely to be taken 1 They can‘t pick and choose if they tind more seriously if you don‘t mention . anyone committing an offence.‘
Strathclyde police believe
. . ‘ . seriously. but Ua ' men are still verv I the convrctions for the , . F i . . .. ' l . . . vulnerable. says Henry. It s that you are a woman who has been The police force in Glasgow admits
murder of Michael Doran show they take
there is a deep-seated perception in the gay community that gays and lesbians
unbelievable that this kind of thing could happen just because a guy was
“queer-bashed".' However Strathclyde police deny that
. j gay. It’s homophobia gone mad. We they resort to entrapment to secure l Will not hC “'03th Sympathtv‘tlcallyt ht" hOmOPhOth assattlts probably meet someone around once a ; convictions and say that prosecutions the spokeswoman pointed out that no seriously, but Stephen l week who has been assaulted by a such as those in the Doran case are complaints have been received in recent
‘ . . l group of neds or knocked over the head j evidence that they takes gay attacks . years alleging police prejudice when Nayhmlth dISCOVch a with a bottle.‘ v l dealing with gay people. ‘Maybe some lingering dlSlI'USt Of Members with“ gay and lCSl’ltlh ‘Ma be some members t th § members ofthe force were homophobic policing methodg in the community claim the scale of the y o_ e l twenty years ago. but'we are trying to
. ‘ i problem goes unrecognised because force were ' eradicate ll'illl. Slit: Silltl. ‘V/t: would b6 community. ; only a fraction of assaults are reported. 3 twenty years ago, but we are distraughtto think that a victim wasn't
t often because the victims are alraid of trying to eradicate that and getting a lair hearing because. of having their sexuality exposed to public we would be t ht t prejudice against gay people. The brutal murder of Michael Doran. l scrutiny. The police do not keep _ _Is_raug 0 j Meanwhile. with Glasgay! starting killed in Queen‘s Park in June just for 3 separate statistics for gay attacks so the thmk that a “cum wasn’t i next “'6th thC ()l'gtllllS‘v‘tS are hoping it being gay. won‘t be the last fatal queer- . number ofqueer-bashing incidents is getting a fair hearing.’ will be a trouble-free festival which bashing unless attitudes change. impossible to quantify. Many in the gay will offer the chance to concentrate on according to those in touch with community believe more should be the more positive aspects ofGlasgow‘s Glasgow‘s gay community. 3 done to target this form of violent seriously. 'The assaults in Queen‘s Park gay scene. With a deliberate irony. the ‘lt‘sjust waiting to happen again.‘ crime. that night were rigorously policed.‘ said final puny night has been titled
says Kenneth Henry of Phace West, a ‘It's almost an apathy.‘ says Henry. a police spokeswoman. ‘We would ‘Queerbash‘, Glasgow orgainsation working to i ‘Gay men are told they are bad or respond Very strongly to any Claim that ‘lt‘s celebratory and about claiming prevent the spread of HIV. Phace West f wrong all the time and some take it on i we weren't protecting the gay the abuse of us,‘ says Glasgay! artistic Works extensively in gay bars and well- i board. so it‘s almost like you deserve population from illegal assaults and director Cordelia Ditton. ‘Some people known cruising grounds such as it.‘ He criticises the police approach to robbery. We are there to protect all find the term offensive, but it shows Queen's Park. and Henry reports the policing cruising grounds for being citizens and regard assaults as assaults. that anything said about us can be gay community is still ‘completely ‘confrontational and aggravating‘. This regardless of sexual orientation. turned around. It highlights the shell-shocked' after hearing details of i stance was backed tip by Renee ‘lEhtFilPlllChtl lSh‘t 11 POllC)' that is importance of Glasgay! because it is the attack at the recent High Court trial. ‘ Graham of Glasgow‘s Lesbian Line. ‘lt‘ pursued. Under Scots law there would ignorance that leads to assaults like Earlier this month four people. the police concentrated more on he Pitfalls in using Such methods these. Queer-bashing is something including a fourteen-year-old girl. protecting people instead of entrapment anyway. However. the same patrol people live with all the time. Very few received life sentences after being tactics to arrest gay men, this tragedy which is guarding against car theft ‘or people haven‘t had some form of abuse. convicted of murdering Doran. who need never have happened.‘ she claims. robbery would also need to act it. gay Particularly if you‘re “out”. you have died from horrific head injuries. ‘If you are a woman who has been men were having sex in a public place. to be conscious of it all the time.‘
W of Clydebank popsters Wet Wet Wet back of Edinburgh‘s Festival Theatre Glasgow Boys, were also
can be published after the publisher has been ‘bombed‘ by graffiti artists. comfijisgionéd to produce musically- I M3" Older Plans to come” the Mainstream W0“ 11 COUlt dCClSth bUt for once the Spray Call mural has the themed murals for the concert hall. former l’OSt OthC building 0” George which allowed it to use the band‘s blessing of the authorities. The AerOSOl When the four arrived it became clear Squatc 1" Glasgow into a National name on the book cover. Wet Wet Wet Art Mural is part ofa youth project that Howson's contribution was the Gallery Of SCQttlSh Alt WCFC hanging in is a registered trademark and its owner organised by the Muirhouse Festival wrong way up the balance this week. as the Glasgow Bravado Merchandising had started Activities Centre and alternative arts ' Development Agency Willth to hear ll‘ legal action in an attempt to prevent the space Out of the Blue. I world M the Strange ll YOU‘VC CV” its offer had been accepted. It‘s words being used on the jacket of I Vertical take-o" Amer Peter been abducted by aliens or had first- beheved that Othel btdS 35lth tmlh thC Evening 77mes' writer Brian Beacom's Howson has agreed to produce another hand cxPale"CC 0f the Parahomlalv GDA offer are being. conmdcrcd by the | book. The judge said it would have a mural for the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow‘s CCA wants to hear your Royal Mail Wthh Stlll Owns the ‘bimrre result‘ if trademark law was Glasgow after the original commission StOFY for 11 Planned 59150“ 0f themed btllldlhg- A QDA SPOkC-‘lhflh Silltl there used to prevent writers identifying their was painted the wrong way up. Three “CNS in FCertltY under the title Lvrzrgocitehiegglitzs available for the subjCCI by name. other anjstg’ Adrian Wigznjcwski‘ Ken ‘Phenomenal‘. For more information
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The List 20 Oct-2 Nov 1995 5