Anti-capitalist group Occupy London has sought to distance itself from comments made by protestors who set up camp on Hampstead Heath following a backlash from the gay community.
The camp, which was dismantled on Wednesday evening, was set up as a space for “political discussion”. One activist Timothy Sullivan, who worked as a social worker for 15 years, told the Ham&High that gay cruising on West Heath had become a safety concern and a taboo subject.
“We could vaporise that problem just being here and let people enjoy their open space again,” he said on Wednesday before the group was moved on by police.
Ronan McNern, a member of the Occupy London movement and a co-founder of the LGBTQI anti-cuts collective Queer Resistance, said he was “furious” about the comments which were not representative of the group’s political and social agenda.
He said: “I’ve heard that other members of the camp have already expressed serious concerns regarding these comments. As a movement, it is essential that we challenge the language and assumptions that appear to have been made in the comments that appeared in the article.
“While Occupy is open to all, it is not open to all behaviours.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here