Summary
Following a vote by the House of Lords which successfully blocked a reduction in the age of homosexual consent, gay rights groups became violent towards some of the Peers. After attempting to storm into Parliament, members of the gay rights group Outrage! picketed the Lords, shouting abuse and threatening violence. One Christian Peer needed Police protection to get to her car.
On 22 July 1998, thanks to a campaign led by the late lady Young, the House of Lords rejected the Government's attempts to lower the age of homosexual consent to 16. However, as the debate took place, gay rights groups held a vigil outside Parliament; this threatened to become violent when it became clear they had lost the vote. Led principally by the gay rights group Outrage!, the protesters attempted to storm Parliament in anger at the Peers' decision; fortunately this was stopped by the police.1
Unfortunately, the vehemence displayed by the protesters did not end there. As the Peers were leaving the House of Lords, those who voted against the Government were insulted, sneered at and received death threats.2 Lady Young herself required police assistance in getting to her car.3
- 1Outrage!, Press Release, House of Lords Besieged by Gay Rights Protesters, 26 July 1998
- 2Daily Mail, 23 July 1998
- 3See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/137716.stm as at 16 June 2006
