Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 02:26:41 +0000 From: David Subject: [or-world] [or-core] Portillo runs from Tatchell - Again! >From: "Peter Tatchell" >Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 20:42:30 -0000 > >From: "Peter Tatchell" > >PORTILLO RUNS FROM TATCHELL - AGAIN! > >Tory candidate refuses to answer questions on gay equality > >HAGUE CANCELS PHOTO-CALL WITH PORTILLO TO AVOID TATCHELL > >Portillo scuttles out back exit of Fire Station, over rooftops and rear >fire-escape > > >Conservative Party leader William Hague cancelled a scheduled photo-call >with his Kensington by-election candidate Michael Portillo this afternoon >(Monday 22 November), after he received a frantic phone message from party >minders to alert him that gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell had again >ambushed Mr Portillo, this time outside Kensington Fire Station. > >Mr Hague's car, which was only two blocks away from the Fire Station when he >received the warning, did an abrupt u-turn and headed back to Conservative >Central Office. Party officials then announced to the bemused and >unconvinced press pack that Mr Hague had an unexpected commitment, which >forced him to cancel his appearance with Mr Portillo. > >Mr Tatchell had sneaked through the press scrum, breaching the Tory party >and police security cordon, to stand right next to Mr Portillo and ask him: >"If elected an MP, will you vote for an equal age of consent? Will you vote >for the repeal of Section 28?". > >On turning to see Mr Tatchell right beside him, Mr Portillo looked visibly >shocked and annoyed. "The blood drained from his face. He looked horrified >and furious that he had been upstaged by my awkward, unscheduled questions", >said Tatchell. "Mr Portillo refused to give an answer on how he would vote >on issues of gay equality". > >Mr Tatchell was then violently bundled away by Mr Portillo's minders. Some >journalists, and a passing member of the public, complained that Mr Tatchell >was being assaulted by Mr Portillo's burly minder, Michael Morely. But the >police stood by and did nothing, allowing Mr Tatchell to be grabbed, shoved >and restrained at will. At one point, Mr Morely knocked Mr Tatchell to the >ground. > >Mr Tatchell later accused the police of "acting as agents of the >Conservative Party. They seem more interested in protecting Mr Portillo from >being asked a reasonable question, than in protecting me against violent >manhandling". > >Police officers on the scene refused to investigate Mr Tatchell allegations >of assault. > >Mr Portillo was then rushed into the Fire Station to avoid further questions >from Mr Tatchell. > >Within minutes of the incident, three police cars and three police vans >pulled up outside the Fire Station in a bid to stop Mr Tatchell from asking >any further questions of the Tory candidate. > >"This is not impartial enforcement of the law", said Mr Tatchell. "Why are >the police siding with the Conservatives by sending three vans and three >cars to prevent me from asking Mr Portillo a question?" > >Despite the heavy police presence, Mr Tatchell still managed to get to a >partly opened Fire Station door. He shouted through to firefighters who were >being addressed by Mr Portillo inside: "Ask him whether he supports >discrimination against gays and lesbians in the fire service. He supports >discrimination in the armed forces. Ask him if he is now prepared to back >gay equality". > >Faced with Mr Tatchell and a huge press posse outside, Mr Portillo was too >scared to leave via the front entrance of the Fire Station. His minders and >the police spirited him out a back entrance over roof tops and down fire >escapes. > >"It was a humiliating, degrading exit for the would-be leader of the >Conservative Party", said Mr Tatchell. "Portillo is uttlerly spinless. He is >so afraid of me asking him questions that he relies on his heavies and the >police to stop me getting near him, and then he scuttles ignominiously out >the rear entrance". > >Further information: Peter Tatchell >0171 - 403 1790 >-- >Peter Tatchell > >http://www.outrage.org.uk > >>Community email addresses: > Post message: or-core@onelist.com > Subscribe: or-core-subscribe@onelist.com > Unsubscribe: or-core-unsubscribe@onelist.com > List owner: or-core-owner@onelist.com > >Shortcut URL to this page: > http://www.onelist.com/community/or-core > > Community email addresses: Subscribe: or-world-subscribe@onelist.com Unsubscribe: or-world-unsubscribe@onelist.com List owner: or-world-owner@onelist.com URL's: http://www.outrage.org.uk http://www.onelist.com/community/or-world