The below letter has been sent by the LCR Pride Foundation Board to Bob Prattey CEO ACC Liverpool, Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson and Liverpool City Council CEO Tony Reeves in relation to a booking at ACC Liverpool by anti-LGBT+ speaker Franklin Graham.
UPDATE: ACC Liverpool have reviewed and taken the decision to cancel the Franklin Graham event. Full article here.
To whom it may concern,
I am sure you will already be aware of a planned booking at ACC Liverpool by anti-LGBT+ speaker Franklin Graham on the 12th June of this year.
Graham is well known for their outspoken views about the LGBT+ community, including promoting hate of LGBT+ people as more important than education and openly supporting conversion therapy and the vicious attacks on our community in Russia amongst many other poisonous views.
We write to you as we are sure that you share our stance that these types of dangerous views are not welcome in, or representative of, our great city and to ask that the booking is immediately reviewed and cancelled.
We believe that in the same way that the pro-hunting lobby was not welcomed into the city, following intervention from the Mayor, that the message this event sends draws a clear case for the same action to be taken, especially in a city and venue that prides itself on our inclusive growth, activism and challenging inequality.
We have no doubt that if the action of cancelling this event is taken, then the message it sends and wider impact, including in attracting other events and exhibitions that share our city’s LGBT+ supportive views will be more beneficial to all involved.
With Pride,
LCR Pride Foundation Board of Trustees
