Sir Ian McKellen leads protest against countries criminalising LGBT+

The Lord of the Rings star led the ‘Commonwealth Walk of Shame’ in London on Saturday, May 30, starting outside the Nigeria High Commission.

The movement was in protest against the criminalisation of LGBT+ people in 29 Commonwealth member states under colonial-era laws originally imposed by Britain.

Sir Ian who was born in Burnley, said: “No one should face prison, violence, or death simply for being themselves and loving another person.

“Yet across most of the Commonwealth, LGBT+ people are still treated as criminals.

“Many of these laws are relics of the British Empire.

“The least we in Britain can do is stand in solidarity with those fighting to overturn criminalisation.”

The protest highlighted colonial-era laws originally imposed by Britain that still criminalise same-sex relationships.

In six Commonwealth countries, the legal maximum sentence is life in prison, while in Uganda, Brunei, and parts of northern Nigeria, people could face the death penalty.

Many of those at the London march were LGBT+ refugees who fled Commonwealth countries because of such laws.

The Peter Tatchell Foundation organised the protest along with Out and Proud Africa LGBTI, Let Voice be Heard (Bangladesh), Gay Indian Network (GIN), and the African Equality Foundation.

Marchers protested outside the Nigerian High Commission and seven other Commonwealth High Commissions.

Deborah Birunji Nabisere, a lesbian and member of Out and Proud Africa LGBTI who fled persecution in Uganda, said: “I know what it means to live under laws designed to erase your humanity.

“We are marching because silence has protected persecution for far too long.

“Commonwealth leaders cannot celebrate unity while millions of LGBT+ citizens live in fear.

“For many LGBT+ people across Africa and the Commonwealth, these laws are not abstract.

“They shape every part of daily life: whether you can speak openly, whether you can find work, whether you are safe walking home.”

Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner and founder of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, said: “For decades, Commonwealth leaders have failed to end the persecution of LGBT+ people.

“We urge the new Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey of Ghana, to begin her tenure by making clear that anti-LGBT+ victimisation is incompatible with Commonwealth values.”

The Nigeria High Commission has been approached for comment.