There was a lively protest at Richard Desmond’s Express and Star offices on Thursday 15 July over the newspapers’ homophobic attacks (pics of protest here).

The Daily Express had condemned a judge’s ruling that gay people facing oppression in their own country were entitled to asylum in this country. The Express ran a headline on its front page “Now asylum if you’re gay”. The papers also claimed that the ruling would mean that the UK would be overrun by gays people.

A coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists, trade unionists and NUJ members protested at the Express and Star building over the media attack and tried to enter the building to hand a petition to Richard Desmond, who sadly didn’t want to receive it.

Speakers at the protest included the NUJ’s vice president Donnacha DeLong who spoke about how the journalists working for Desmond were fed up with his editorial line and had in the past taken action against racist articles and even reported him to the Press Complaints Commission, with no luck.

There was also a letter sent to the Guardian from trade unionists, MPs and NUJ representatives pointing out the absurdity of the papers’ claims and how it was part of a general upsurge in racism and homophobia in the media. This included in the very week of the homophobic headlines a lying account from the Star about a council forced to cover up a swimming pool because of Muslim pressure. Go to the excellent tabloid watch blog for a dissection of the story.

Posted by Keith Sellick