National Gay News Defence Committee
The National Gay News Defence Committee was formed to protest against the prosecution of Gay News by Mary Whitehouse on the charge of blasphemous libel. The pickets and demonstrations were originally organised by the SLGLF and the Brixton gay community with the HQ in one of the gay squats at 146 Mayall Road. Other groups and individuals soon joined to swell the ranks of protesters.
Outside the Old Bailey
Banner of ‘Anita Bryant + Mary Whitehouse = Adolf Hitler’. Anita Bryant tried to ban gay teachers and ran a ‘Save our Children’ campaign. Mary Whitehouse prosecuted Gay News for blasphemous libel among other attempts at censorship and Hitler needs no introduction…The banner drew attention to how the extremes of religious moral policing can easily merge with Nazi ideology
This demonstrated our solidarity with working class strike action - see Wider Background section
Our gay dragon originally took part in a local street festival and then graced several demonstrations.
Julian Hows encouraging the hapless creature to stay the pace and keep up with the others as the occupants tread on each other’s toes
Gathering at Trafalgar Square
The Gay Activists’ Alliance inherited a solid nationswide core of local NGNDC groups
Other messages that didn’t quite make it onto stickers:
The Lord is my shepherd and he’s into sheep
Jesus commanded us to love all men
A Whitehouse a day keeps liberty at bay
The following photos and account were sent to us by the lovely Terry Waller
This protest was on the Strand in London at the appeal which ruled that Denis Lemon's conviction stood, but the suspended imprisonment was quashed.
From Wikipedia: "James Kirkup's poem The Love that Dares to Speak its Name was published in the 3 June 1976 issue of Gay News. The poem, written from the viewpoint of a Roman centurion, graphically describes him having sex with Jesus after his crucifixion, and also claims that Jesus had had sex with numerous disciples, guards, and even Pontius Pilate. In early November 1976, Mary Whitehouse obtained a copy of the poem and announced her intention to bring a private prosecution against the magazine. The charges named Gay News Ltd and Denis Lemon as the publishers. A charge against Moore Harness Ltd for distributing was subsequently dropped. The indictment described the offending publication as "a blasphemous libel concerning the Christian religion, namely an obscene poem and illustration vilifying Christ in his life and in his crucifixion".
The Gay News Fighting Fund was set up in December 1976. Judge Alan King-Hamilton QC heard the trial at the Old Bailey on 4 July 1977, with John Mortimer QC and Geoffrey Robertson representing the accused and John Smyth representing Mary Whitehouse. On Monday 11 July, the jury found both defendants guilty. Gay News Ltd was fined £1,000. Denis Lemon was fined £500 and sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended."
i The group of 3 by the fence I believe it is Philip Derbyshire in the centre and David Simpson on the right. Was the man on the left from Brixton?
You will recognise John Lloyd and his long hair in the centre of the 3rd photo.
Amongst the others Edwin Henshaw holds a 'repeal the blasphemy law' placard.
