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Manx speaker at launch of UK campaign for police apologies

Alan Shea discusses persecution of LGBT community via live link to House of Lords


A Manx gay rights campaigner has spoken at the launch of a campaign in the UK which hopes to see police forces apologise for historic persecution and treatment of LGBTQ people.

Alan Shea, whose petitioning of Tynwald in 1991 led to the decriminalisation of homosexual acts on the Isle of Man, spoke via video link at the event in the House of Lords.

The campaign #ApologiseNow is being spearheaded by the Peter Tatchell Foundation in memory of TV star Paul O'Grady, who passed away earlier this year.

Coinciding with the launch event, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley became the first UK police to apologise, via a written letter - the same method chosen by Former Manx Chief Constable Gary Roberts, who apologised for the historic persecution of gay people on the Isle of Man last year.

Alan Shea says the campaigners hope many more force chiefs will follow suit:

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