Peter Tatchell, Sir Ian McKellen, and Davis Mac-Iyalls at Pride London on Saturday
Mr Tatchell marched in the parade with actor Sir Ian McKellen and Davis Mac-Iyalla, a leader of the Nigerian gay rights movement.
"Mr Mac-Iyalla was recently forced to flee Nigeria after threats and attempts to kill him, following homophobic denunciations by the Anglican Archbishop of Nigeria, Rev Peter Akinola. Akinola is a leading figure in the conservative splinter group, Gafcon, which opposes women bishops and gay priests, and which supports punitive legal discrimination against lesbian and gay people," said Mr Tatchell.
"Davis arrived in Britain seeking sanctuary but was incarcerated in an asylum detention centre.
"The government treated him like a common criminal.
"It took a frantic lobbying campaign to pressure the Home Office to release Davis. He was only set free from Oakington detention centre at 5pm on Friday, the eve of the Pride London parade.
"Although it is good that he was released, the Home Office should have never incarcerated him in the first place," added Mr Tatchell.
Excerpted from http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/08/Jul/0703.htm
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