Latest news with #IrisDuane
Telegraph
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Vandalising Wes Streeting's office is not protest, it is violent criminal intimidation
It is a sight that is becoming more common as social justice warriors abandon old-fashioned ideas of legal protest: a prominent MP turns up for work at his constituency office only to find the windows smashed and offensive graffiti painted across the front of the building. The clean-up costs will be met by the tax-payer but the fear and intimidation that the attack was intended to generate will be felt most keenly by vulnerable staff members working in Wes Streeting's Ilford North headquarters, and even by the health secretary's constituents. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Trans Bash Back, a 'trans-led direct action project'. Sharing an image of the front of the office shortly after it had been vandalised, they wrote on social media: 'Don't want action? Don't kill kids.' That sinister threat was even echoed by a Scottish Green candidate standing at next year's Holyrood elections. Iris Duane took to Twitter in the aftermath of the attack to write: 'If you don't want 'child killer' sprayed onto your office, have you considered not killing children?' The accusation of infanticide comes from Streeting's acceptance of the recommendations of the extensive and authoritative Cass review of health care for adolescents questioning their gender identity, which led to a ban on new patients under 18 being prescribed puberty blockers. It's natural that people who feel strongly about this issue or the other two topics in the holy trinity of social justice causes – Palestine and climate change – should want to vent their fury at politicians who disagree with them. But the modern era has spawned a new type of activist who sees flagrant breaches of the law, including criminal damage, as an entirely legitimate form of protest. This seems to be based on a belief that their cause is special, even uniquely virtuous, and that because the injustice felt by the protesters when they don't get their own way is felt so intensely, the range of 'remedies' open to them is broadened beyond the limits of the law. Even when protesters are prosecuted and jailed, there is outrage from these same groups who seem to believe that violence, provided it is perpetrated for the 'right' cause, must be exempt from all consequences. Even our national broadcaster is partly culpable for encouraging, by its inaction, such dangerous exceptionalism. The attack on Streeting's office is but the latest incident by activists taking out their frustrations and sense of entitlement on the constituency bases of MPs who refuse to vote the way they demand. In November 2023, pro-Palestinian activists daubed Labour MP Jo Stevens's Cardiff office with red paint after she abstained on a parliamentary vote on Gaza. A year earlier former Tory MP Peter Bone's constituency office in Wellingborough was similarly vandalised, apparently in protest at recent sleaze allegations against his party. And earlier this year, the Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley, was forced to abandon her constituency office after it was targeted three times in as many weeks. These are all egregious attacks on our democratic process and democratic norms. And each of them was adequately covered on the BBC News website. But as of today, no word on the latest attack on Streeting's office has been reported by the BBC. Which is deeply odd, since the corporation even has a special designated section of its vast website devoted to trans issues, replete with preferred pronouns and tales of 'stunning and brave' gender transitions. And yet, when the darker side of trans activism is revealed in all its shoddy and unpleasant details, when public sector employees live in fear that the violence perpetrated on buildings will be targeted at them next, the BBC suddenly has nothing to say, and will not even report the facts. In an era where two MPs in the last decade have been murdered by violent extremists, the need to protect our elected representatives – and their staff – from all forms of violence and intimidation has never been more urgent. But such protection is not nearly enough. The media must be made to understand that for all the fears of a growth in the threat of the political 'far Right', fascism comes from both sides of the political spectrum, and so does the accompanying violence. Forcing others, by violence or intimidation, to parrot your own political opinions is a fundamental aspect of fascism. Those who cross the line separating legal from illegal protest demean the democratic process because they have demonstrated that they themselves believe it no longer has any value for them. Only by exposing every incident of vandalism, wanton damage, threatening behaviour or literal violence, whatever the motives of the perpetrators, can the foundations of civilisation be prevented from crumbling.
The Herald Scotland
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish Greens activist slams Glasgow Pride sponsorships
She told The Herald: 'Since the last Pride Parade, the demands have been exactly the same. 'Pride has always been and will always be a protest. Glasgow Pride itself should not be partnering with companies that are not only complicit in genocide and war, but are not showing support for the LGBT community.' Thousands of Glaswegians have taken to the streets in recent years, with an estimated 50,000 attending Pride in 2023. This year's celebration is earmarked for July 19. Iris Duane ran for Parliament last year. (Image: Scottish Greens) However, activists have hit out at previous sponsors of the festivities, which include JP Morgan, a leading investor in Israeli arms company Elbit Systems, as well as drugs company Merck, which also has close ties to Israeli companies. SSE, Easy Jet, Netflix UK, and Sky have also partnered with the organisers in past years. Hundreds of people have signed an open letter calling on Glasgow Pride to reject partnerships with businesses that do not adhere to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Duane told The Herald: 'We're not just something that you can slap a flag on or put in a parade. This is an active part of supporting the community, especially in these trying times. 'People of colour, especially within our community, deserve to feel safe. So we cannot allow for companies that are oppressing their families to be part of the Pride Parade.' Read more from Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco: Pope Leo welcome to visit Scotland — but should go to COP30 first, says charity Is there a place for religion in the assisted dying debate? 'Cynical vandalism of a questionable legality': Aberdeen Uni cuts slammed 'Absolutely marvelous': My walk across the Renfrew-Yoker Bridge Last year's parade saw the creation of the 'No Pride in Genocide' splinter group, which Duane says was 'substantially larger' than the main event. The bloc has been criticised by Glasgow Pride as an attempt to 'segregate' the LGTBQ community. However, members say they are showing solidarity with gay, lesbian, and trans people from Palestine, and resisting 'pinkwashing' by the Israeli government. According to activists, 'pinkwashing' is "when a state or organisation appeals to LGBTQ+ rights in order to deflect attention from its harmful practices.' Iris said: 'Last year proved that there were many members of our community that were self-excluding themselves from Pride because of the ties that it has." She added: 'However, when we come together in a grassroots movement away from business interests, we are united and incredibly proud to do that together. 'I think we've proven as a community before that we stand united. Ultimately the point of Pride is to be proud, is to make ourselves heard, and make sure that we are alive. 'We will not be complicit in trying to stop any other people from existing. All I'm asking for is a smidge of solidarity.' Thousands take part in the march each year. (Image: JEFF J MITCHELL) In a statement posted to Instagram last week, Glasgow Pride slammed the open letter — and said they had yet to announce sponsorships for the event. Organisers wrote: 'With the event in 78 days, our focus is on a safe march and festival. This is our only comment on demands attempting to segregate the LGBTQIA+ community. 'Pride is about LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion which is now crucial due to direct attacks. 'It's not about other legitimate causes (Gaza, climate), which have separate Glasgow processions. Using Pride for these dilutes the focus on LGBTQIA+ rights and pinkwashes other issues. 'The UK Supreme Court ruling and other organisation's decisions in relation to this are harming Trans+ rights in Glasgow, in Scotland, and right across the UK.'
The Herald Scotland
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Trans community in 'limbo' from Supreme Court judgment
The UK's highest court ruled that references to 'sex' and 'woman' in the Equality Act 2010 relate purely to biological sex – rather than including a trans person with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). The Scottish Government has accepted the unanimous ruling, adding a review of policies would now commence, with specific consideration being given to updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). That guidance is not due until this summer. Gender critical feminists For Women Scotland celebrated the ruling, stating it offered clarity on the law. However, Iris Duane, a transwoman, told The Herald on Sunday: 'It basically leaves hundreds – thousands – of us in limbo and that is quite disappointing.' Read more: Scotland's trans community in 'anxious' wait ahead of ruling Time for NHS Fife to admit defeat in Sandie Peggie row? Swinney told to act after court rules sex means biology in law Ministers won't tell NHS Fife to settle tribunal over trans row Chapman faces removal from Holyrood role over court attack She added: 'The Supreme Court ruling is making things considerably worse. 'Transgender individuals, both men and women, already feel uncomfortable using facilities for their identified sex and have done for many years. We need to remember that trans people just want to live our lives in peace. 'We're not going into bathrooms or changing rooms to be pointed at. We just want to live.' Scotland's Census from 2022 found that 19,970 people were trans or had a trans history – 0.44% of people aged 16 and over. During the same year, statistics revealed that hate crimes against transgender people rose 87% in the previous 12 months. A report from the Crown Office said there were 84 charges aggravated by transphobia in 2021-22, compared with 45 the previous year. Ms Duane said the uncertainty around the ruling could exacerbate attacks against the trans community. 'It is really disappointing, especially when we know our politicians know this an absolute risk. 'The fear is spreading across the community. We have had to wake up for many years now with headlines about how we're bad or evil so we've had to build resilience.' She added: 'We don't know what the implications will be but they are not going to be nice. It hasn't been nice for the last few years. Quite frankly, we're used to it and we will continue to persevere day in and day out.' Ellie Gomersall. (Image: Ellie Gomersall) Ellie Gomersall said trans people like her had been 'weaponised' as political pawns in recent years. 'I now feel significantly less safe going out and about in public as a trans person than when I first moved to Glasgow and I first came out seven years ago. 'Most of my days is the same as everyone else and then all of a sudden I'm in public and I need to use the loo. I need to weigh it up. Is it going to be safe for me? 'This is something that most people would never even have to think about – would never have to consider in their day to day life. They don't have to wonder 'if I use the loo and I going to get attacked'. 'It's not just confined to things like toilets, it's in public if someone recognises you as being trans are they going to be violent towards you? 'Hate crimes against us have risen rapidly in recent years and I myself have been physically assaulted in public and sexually harassed specifically because I'm trans and that is really scary. "It is so dehumanising.' Dr Rebecca Don Kennedy, chief executive of the Equality Network described the Supreme Court ruling as a 'grim leap back in time'. She also rejected claims it was a 'win for feminism'. 'Feminism is not exclusionary, it does not require proof of womanhood, it does not require women to look any certain way,' she wrote. The women behind For Women Scotland recently announced they will snub Holyrood's equalities and human rights committee until Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman is removed. Ms Chapman faces calls to be dismissed as deputy convener after she said the Supreme Court ruling showed 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred'. The group has said they represent the women who have advocated for access to single-sex spaces, with some losing their jobs over criticism of self-ID policies. Susan Smith, co-director of For Women Scotland said: "We cannot see why this ruling would make anyone more inclined towards violence. These individuals have been very open about their trans status and they are no more conspicuous now than in the past." She said Equality Network "lied to the public", stating they were never allowed to use women's facilities. Ms Smith said transwomen were "unlawfully trespassing" on women's spaces. "We didn't pick this fight but we refuse to be bullied out of standing our ground and protecting what women won over many years and at some cost," Ms Smith added. "The bottom line is that this ruling has come as a blessed relief to women who have been forced to self-exclude from services for fear of meeting very obvious male individuals. "The rights of vulnerable women matter, and they have been overlooked and dismissed code too long."
