Entertainers outraged after another gay murder
PinkNews.co.uk Exclusive
Cabaret stars are planning to make a Band Aid style protest song against homophobia after another shocking gay murder – this time a pensioner on his way home from the pub.
67-year-old Malcolm Bryan, who worked in the entertainment industry booking cabaret artists, was found dead at the bottom of a stairwell in a bock of flats in Portsmouth last week.
His death is the third gay murder in less than a year. In July Michael Fardon, 45, from Northampton was murdered after a night out at his local the Boston Clipper.
Last year Jody Dobrowski was beaten to death on Clapham Common, London. Two men are now serving life for Jody’s murder.
Cabaret stars have been paying tribute to Malcolm and are now planning to get a video highlighting hate crime broadcast on national television as well as in gay bars and clubs.
They are also considering producing a joint single.
Stephen Richards, aka Lola Lasagne who runs Brighton Pride’s Cabaret tent, is one act behind the scheme.
Malcolm met his death just days after attending a fundraising benefit at the Boston Clipper in memory of Michael Fardon. Now the community in Northampton is reeling from this latest murder: “After the benefit I felt on such a high and that we are finally achieving something for the gay community and we are going to make a difference,” said the organiser of the Northampton event which raised money to improve hate crime services in the area. “Now this has happened to such a lovely guy who was so passionate about the gay community.”
Malcolm, who had only just joined in civil partnership with his partner Martin a month ago, was killed on Wednesday (21st) after being confronted and attacked in the stairwell of the block of flats in Crown Court, Fratton where he lived.
Police are not yet treating it as a homophobic murder. A fifty year old man was arrested but has been released on bail until November 26th pending further investigation.
Malcom’s death has left Martin having to care for Malcom’s 98-year-old mother who had been dependant on him. Martin has given up his job to ensure Mrs Bryan is looked after.
Numerous tributes to Malcolm have been left on the internet messageboard hunkystrippers.com which is run by a friend. It includes one from Malcolm’s partner Martin: “My Malcolm was a legend in his own right, he came out when it was a prisonable offence, but at that time they all stood proud, later in his life he was booking acts in the east end of London for the gay community.
“I was so proud to call this man my mentor, my best friend and my husband.”
