Last night, I joined with the LGBT community and friends for a silent candle lit vigil calling upon people from Brighton and Hove to join together and show that hate crime is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our City. Vigils were held in Trafalgar Square and across the country so we could join together for two minutes silence and remember the victims of homophobic hate crime.

The vigil was organised by James Ledward, editor of GScene Magazine and followed the sad death of Ian Baynham, 62 who was the victim of a suspected homophobic assault in Trafalgar Square on September 25 this year, the homophobic attack on trainee policeman James Parks in Liverpool last week who still lies critically ill in hospital and the recent horrific murder of Andrea Waddell in Brighton. They are just a few of the people who have been victims of hate crime, which many people fear is on the rise. I will be meeting with Brighton and Hove police in November to discuss this and I urge anyone who has been the victim of hate crime to report it to the police and if you're not satisfied with how your case is managed, please let me know.

I was honoured to be asked to speak and show my support for the LGBT community, this is what I said:

It is with great sadness I join you at this event, but also with great pride that so many of us stand in solidarity to oppose the hatred and violence that resulted in the death of Ian Baynham. My thoughts are with his family and friends and with those of James Parks who remains seriously ill in hospital. And my thoughts are with all of those who have suffered homophobic abuse and violence, simply for being themselves.

No decent society can accept acts of violence or bigotry and we must never tolerate those who would have us live in fear of walking down the street or speaking out against abuse. We have one life and it is precious, no-one has the right to stop another person living their life to the full.

Whilst we have repealed Section 28, the attitudes that led to it are clearly still around. I want you to know now that I will work hard to combat hate crime, I will campaign to bring those who commit homophobic crime to justice and I will always be proud to stand with you.

Tags: GScene Magazine, James Ledward

Posted on November 6, 2009 in LGBT, Out and About in Brighton.