Gays Protest In a Super Market In Support Of The Gay Couple That Was Escorted Out Of a SuperMarket For Touching Inappropriately

 

This is not unusual for the aisles of Sainsbury’s on Hackney Road in east London on a Saturday evening, the store is usually  crowed with people  grabbing dinner and bottles of booze for the weekend. 13 th of August was different,  the store was packed with dozens of activists kissing in protest after a same-sex couple had been escorted from the premises for holding hands.

A security guard at the supermarket forced Thomas Rees, 32, and his boyfriend Joshua Bradwell, 25, to leave on 8 August after a customer complained about them “touching inappropriately”.

Sainsbury’s apologised and offered the couple a £10 voucher to spend in store, but activists said that the gesture “doesn’t cut it” and urged protesters to gather for a mass kiss-in.

 

Mr Rees told The Independent at the "Big Gay Kiss-in" that he and Mr Bradwell were initially uncertain about attending the protest but were “blown away” by the “unreal” response.

"I feel amazing, elated, overjoyed and I can’t stop smiling. It’s undone everything," he said.

"It realigns our faith in our community. We felt let down, but to see this turnout is incredible," added Mr Bradwell.

Protesters, who blared "Kiss Kiss" by Holly Valance from a portable speaker in the store, cheered when Mr Rees and Mr Bradwell joined the crowd to kick-off the event at 6.30pm. Cars driving past the supermarket beeped their horns in support.

Inside the store, kissing couples lined the aisles while others cheered and waved rainbow flags. Some, including a drag-queen towering in leather heels, danced in the shop window.

"The more we [LGBT people] hold hands, kiss, and show affection in public the more healthy we will be as a society. People are only shocked because they have never seen two men together before. That's how shock happens, it comes from fear," said Mr Rees.

Source Independent UK.