A young man has been left with “serious” facial injuries after a homophobic hate crime in the Scottish city of Glasgow.
A 22-year-old man in Glasgow was attacked whilst walking with a friend on Kersland Street near to Great Western Road in the early morning on Wednesday. His friend was allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse by another man who they did not know.
The attack comes just a week before Glasgow Pride which is due to take place in the city centre.
When the victim tried to intervene he was reportedly attacked by the suspect. The victim was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where his injuries were treated.
The suspect is described as white and in his early 20s and wearing a black top with black tracksuit bottoms.
He was accompanied by a woman in her early 20s, 5ft6 in height and with shoulder length blonde hair.
They were last seen walking east along Great Western Road.
Detective Constable Stuart McDonald from Drumchapel CID said,
“This despicable individual not only subjected an innocent man to homophobic abuse, but also assaulted his friend when he came to his aid.
“This type of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and I would appeal to anyone who either witnessed the incident, or saw the man and woman described above, to please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact officers at Drumchapel CID via 101 and quote incident number 0268 of Wednesday 9th August 2017.
Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where details can be given in confidence.
A man has been punished with 50 hours of unpaid work after a fight with police.
Gavin Knights, 20, was sentenced at the Aberdeen Sheriff Court to 50 unpaid work after admitting to threatening behaviour towards police on the 13th June. His defence, David Sutherland, said that alcohol had induced “fairly shocking behaviour.”
During the incident, Mr Gavin uttered threats towards the police, as well as kicked a police van and used homophobic language.
Mr Knight will also be under supervision for nine months.
Theresa May has assured Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson, that there will be no erosion of LGBT+ rights in return for DUP support.
Ruth Davidson, who is planning to marry her partner Jen Wilson, spoke to the Prime Minister about the issue of LGBT+ rights and told the BBC’s Reporting Scotland programme, “I was fairly straightforward with her and I told her that there were a number of things that count to me more than party, One of them is country, one of the others is LGBTI rights.”
Ms May apparently gave a “categoric assurance” that any deal between the Conservatives and DUP would see “absolutely no rescission of LGBTI rights in the rest of the UK”.
Ms Davidson also said that Mrs May said she would use her influence to advance gay rights in Northern Ireland.
The DUP have earned themselves a reputation for being homophobic after voting against same-sex marriage four times.
Theresa May looks to have negotiated with the DUP, who have 10 seats, in order to take their total number of seats up to 328, a majority of just two seats. However, the coalition will not be welcome news for many in the LGBT+ community has the DUP has run on a platform of conservativism which includes anti-LGBT equality and anti-abortion.
During their campaigning and the release of their manifesto, the DUP failed to mention any pledges for the LGBT community.
The party’s founder Ian Paisley spearheaded the Save Ulster from Sodomy in the 1970s, which was opposed to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland, in fact, Northern Ireland was the last country within the UK to decriminalise homosexuality, which it did so in 1982. Paisley’s son, Ian Paisley Jr said that he was “repulsed” by homosexuality.
The first major Christian church, the Scottish Episcopal Church, has voted to allow gay marriage in its venues.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has become the first Christian church in the UK to allow same-sex marriage in its Churches, Clergy will not, however, be forced to officiate at those marriages if it goes against their conscience.
The move means that gay Christians from any Anglican Church will be able to marry in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
The amendment to canon law on marriage, which removed the stipulation that marriage is only between a man and a woman, was carried by the Synod in Edinburgh.
Seventy-four percent of the General Synod voted for the motion.
Clergy who wish to officiate at same-sex marriages will have to “opt-in” under the rule change.
The Episcopal Church’s Bishop of Edinburgh, The Right Reverend Dr John Armes, said,
“I am very pleased for the couples who can now have their relationships recognised by the church and blessed by God.
“I’m also pleased for what this means about our church and the way we have been able to do this. But obviously any change like this creates pain and hurt in some as well, so as a bishop of the church I feel for them.”
As a reminder to where Scottish MPs stood on one of the most recent and important pieces of legislation affecting the LGBT+ community in the UK, we’ve listed all the MSPs who voted for same-sex marriage in 2014.
Here is the full list of MSPs who voted for same-sex marriage in Scotland.
CONSERVATIVES
Jackson Carlaw (West Scotland)
Ruth Davidson (Glasgow)
Annabel Goldie (West Scotland)
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire)
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands)
John Scott (Ayr)
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
George Adam (Paisley)
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland)
Christian Allard (North East Scotland)
Colin Beattie (Midlothian North and Musselburgh)
Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central)
Chic Brodie (South Scotland)
Keith Brown (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane)
Margaret Burgess (Cunninghame South)
Aileen Campbell (Clydesdale)
Roderick Campbell (North East Fife)
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley)
Angela Constance (Almond Valley)
Bruce Crawford (Stirling)
Graeme Dey (Angus South)
Nigel Don (Angus North and Mearns)
Bob Doris (Glasgow)
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart)
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern)
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife)
Linda Fabiani (East Kilbride)
Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West)
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North)
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross)
Jamie Hepburn (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth)
Fiona Hyslop (Linlithgow)
Adam Ingram (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley)
Colin Keir (Edinburgh Western)
Bill Kidd (Glasgow Anniesland)
Richard Lochhead (Moray)
Kenny MacAskill (Edinburgh Eastern)
Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands)
Derek Mackay (Renfrewshire North and West)
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands)
Michael Matheson (Falkirk West)
Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland)
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland)
Mark McDonald (Aberdeen Donside)
Christina McKelvie (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse)
Aileen McLeod (South Scotland)
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden)
Stuart McMillan (West Scotland)
Alex Neil (Airdrie and Shotts)
Gil Paterson (Clydebank and Milngavie)
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West)
Shona Robison (Dundee City East)
Michael Russell (Argyll and Bute)
Alex Salmond (Aberdeenshire East)
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast)
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central)
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow Southside)
John Swinney (Perthshire North)
David Torrance (Kirkcaldy)
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine)
Paul Wheelhouse (South Scotland)
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin)
John Wilson (Central Scotland)
LABOUR
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton)
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife)
Richard Baker (North East Scotland)
Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife)
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland)
Neil Bibby (West Scotland)
Sarah Boyack (Lothian)
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith)
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian)
Mary Fee (West Scotland)
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn)
As a reminder to where Scottish MPs stood on one of the most recent and important pieces of legislation affecting the LGBT+ community in the UK, we’ve listed all the MSPs who voted against same-sex marriage in 2014.
Here is the full list of MSPs who voted against same-sex marriage in Scotland.
CONSERVATIVES
Gavin Brown (Lothian)
Alex Fergusson (Galloway and West Dumfries)
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife)
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland)
Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands)
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland)
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland)
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife)
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
Dr Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar)
Roseanna Cunningham (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire)
Ever heard of Gisela Allen? Probably not. This morning, however, she became a viral internet sensation after a weird diatribe of what she wants and doesn’t want for her country, appeared in her local paper.
Gisela Allen is a UKIP candidate for a council seat in Garscadden/Scotstounhill, Scotland. After being asked by a reporter, “Why do you want to be a councillor?” for the Clydebank Post Allen laid out her wishes.
So what’s the take out from her wish list? She wants:
The death penalty, specifically the guillotine, (not hanging),
Mums to stay at home to look after their children,
The reopening of public toilets,
To close golf courses (they’re an environmental threat),
Children on horses,
No plastic bags, they’re threats to dolphins and animals…
NHS Scotland will become the first health service in the UK to prescribe PrEP after the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) announced that PrEP, the HIV prevention drug, has been deemed a cost-effective treatment to prevent the transmission of HIV. This means that gay and bisexual men will be able to access the drugs, for free, on the Scottish NHS.
Ian Howley, CEO of GMFA – the gay men’s health charity said,
“GMFA welcomes the news that PrEP will become available to those who are most at risk on the NHS in Scotland. Over the past year we have seen statistics that proves PrEP works and is helping in the fight against HIV. In some cases, GUM clinics have seen a 40% drop in new HIV infections. PrEP is the tool that we have been waiting for and I am delighted that gay and bisexual men in Scotland can now access PrEP free on the NHS.”
Meanwhile, NHS England has decided on running a three-year trial following legal battles in 2016. GMFA today called upon NHS England is drop its trial and follow in the footsteps of its Scottish sister service.
Ian continues;
“This decision now calls into question as to why NHS England can not make PrEP available to all that need it and still insist on a three-year trial. We are now calling on NHS England to follow the footsteps of Scotland and provide PrEP to those who are at a higher risk.
“Every gay and bisexual man living in the entire UK deserves the right to access PrEP for free on the NHS. It’s time this became a reality. Too many gay and bisexual men are becoming HIV-positive and we now have a tool that can prevent new infections.”
“We congratulate the PrEP4Scotland Coalition, HIV Scotland, Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland, Waverley Care, and National AIDS Trust, on their hard work in getting PrEP available to all those who need it in Scotland.”
A 14-year-old schoolboy has been found dead just weeks after he released a video revealing he was gay and that he had been bullied for being gay.
Liam McAlpine from Fife in Scotland was found dead at his home on Sunday afternoon. He was just 14. Before his death he had recorded and published a number of videos on YouTube about being gay and the bullying he had been a victim of.
In his first video, Liam spoke about coming out and speculated that he would be ridiculed for being gay from some of his classmates.
In his coming out video he said,
“For three years I have been gay, go ahead and judge me, I don’t care… My true friends will stick by me, fake friends, will just f**k off and leave me behind… That’s who I am, I’m proud to be gay”.
In a second video entitled “Bullying” he gave a heartbreaking speech urging those who are bullied to reach out to “someone who could help you… friends, teachers – someone who can help you through the situation, even a police officer”.
He said, “You don’t go to school to get bullied everyday. You go to learn. School is meant to be a safe place but getting bullied everyday and picked on, is that really safe?”
Liam was publishing videos as recently as last week.
The Daily Record is suggesting that there is wide-spread speculation that he took his own life. The police are treating his death as “unexplained”.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said,
“Police in Fife are investigating following the death of a 14-year-old boy at an address in Elgin Drive, Glenrothes .
“The incident was reported to police around 3.40pm on Sunday, March 5.
“The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing.
“A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.”
If you are affected by this story or you’d like to talk to someone please call Switchboard on 0330 330 0630 or Samaritans on 116 123.
A man who admitted shouting homophobic abuse, whilst drunk, has been fined £150.
CREDIT: Google Maps 2015
Twenty-two-year-old Ellis Birnie, of Sandveien, Lerwick, was fined £150 after he pleaded guilty to behaving “in a threatening or abusive manner” in Lerwick, Shetland, in Scotland.
He made homophobic remarks according to a witness who said that the accused had made “derogatory remarks about the females’ perceived sexuality” last year at the Thule Bar and Captain Flints on 27 September.
Shetland News reports, Mr Birnie’s defence said that he suffered from epilepsy and diabetes and according did not manage his condition by not managing his diet.
Sheriff Philip Mann remarked that the behaviour was “really stupid” and said he hoped it would be a wake-up call for the man.
“Look after your health and be wise enough to understand you can’t go out and abuse alcohol in this way”.
Motorists have been left baffled after council workers painted two conflicting speed restrictions on the same road.
CREDIT: SWNS
New restrictions are limiting speed limits to 20 mph across Edinburgh.
Around 80 per cent of Edinburgh’s road will have a limit of 20 mph.
Motorists caught speeding could be fined £100 and three penalty points.
A controversial city-wide 20mph limit is set to be introduced across Edinburgh this year and some streets are already being painted with the new restriction.
But on one road in Edinburgh, this has led to confusion with one side of the road saying the limit is 20mph and the other saying it is 30mph.
Motorists have expressed their confusion on social media with one calling the situation “hilarious”.
But council bosses have sought to reassure bemused drivers with the new limit set to come into force across much of the city a month from today on February 28.
Similar signs have been spotted at the Leith Walk end of London Road.
Accompanying the painted warnings will be traditional speed limit signs at the side of the road.
The painted notifications of speed limits are part of a pioneering scheme to introduce 20mph limits across 80 per cent of Edinburgh’s roads.
The initiative was rolled out in the city centre and rural west of Edinburgh last August to a groundswell of initial opposition – with a 2700 signature petition to get the decision reversed.
CREDIT: SWNS
AA spokesman Ian Crowder welcomed 20mph zones but only where “appropriate” – such as roads with schools.
He said,
“Most collisions occur in these types of streets and there’s a significant difference between hitting someone at 20mph, when there’s a good chance they’ll survive, and 30mph where there’s a good chance they’ll be killed.”
But blanket 20mph zones across cities could be “counter-productive”, warns the motoring association.
Mr Crowder added,
“I would caution against putting 20mph limits across every street without good reason.
“Drivers can become irritated by it. The majority of people respect 30mph limits but 20mph is quite slow and people can start to ignore them.”
But subsequent city-wide consultations reported positive feedback – amid some remaining concerns around increased congestion, road safety and longer journey times.
The scheme is the first of its kind in Scotland and is expected to be fully rolled-out by next January with £100 fines and three penalty points for drivers caught speeding.
Key arterial routes are among the few that will retain 30 and 40mph limits.
Bosses at Lothian Buses have previously warned the new limits could lead to higher fares and poorer services.
A council spokesman explained the signs with the 30mph limit were for vehicles exiting onto the nearby Portobello Road while the 20mph is for those driving onto the residential street of Craigentinny Crescent.
He said,
“The 30mph road marking signifies the speed limit on Portobello Road on to which drivers exit.
“This will be reinforced by an adjacent road sign signalling the end of the 20mph zone, which will be erected before the 20mph limit comes into force in this area on February 28.
“The 20mph road marking refers to the 20mph speed limit on Craigentinny Crescent.”
