Statement Regarding Katie Hopkins’ Appearance in Rugby
Recently, we were alerted to the fact that Katie Hopkins will be appearing at the Benn Hall in Rugby on Saturday 19th July. Benn Hall is a Rugby Borough Council venue.
Katie Hopkins is well-known for making homophobic, transphobic, racist, Islamaphobic, and ableist comments. People in the community are rightly concerned and angry that she will be appearing at a Rugby Borough Council venue.
Since being informed of this, we have tried to engage with Rugby Borough Council to insist they cancel Katie Hopkins and do not platform hate at their venues. Unfortunately, nobody from Rugby Borough Council has responded. Therefore, we are taking the following steps:
- Paying back a £250 grant that Rugby Borough Council gave to us for Rugby Pride. We will not take or keep money from any organisation that allows hate to have a platform.
- Supporting the planned protest by Stand Up To Racism outside the Benn Hall on Saturday 19th July when Katie Hopkins is due to appear.
- Calling out Rugby Borough Council for claiming to support Pride and LGBTQ+ communities by putting up flags, giving a grant and posting support on social media, while at the same time allowing hate to have a platform at one of its venues.
As an LGBTQ+ charity, we are of course against all forms of hate towards and about LGBTQ+ people. However, we are also strongly anti-racist, anti-ableist, anti-Islamophobia, and against all forms of hate.
We call on Rugby Borough Council to do the right thing and cancel Katie Hopkins. Now is the opportunity to prove that you really do stand with LGBTQ+ people, as well as people of colour, people with disabilities, Muslims, and everyone else who is targeted by people like Katie Hopkins.