LGBTQ+ Activists Just Invaded Dorchester Hotel To Protest Brunei

The interruption came during afternoon tea.

Mikelle Street

Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.

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Mikelle Street

April 04 2019 2:54 PM EST

October 13 2022 3:51 AM EST

MikelleStreet

On Thursday, activists began staging demonstrations in Dorchester Collection hotels, owned in part by the Sultan of Brunei.

"In case you haven't heard, there's a boycott of the Dorchester Hotel," Jordan Tannahill said into a megaphone during the Hotel's afternoon tea. He was accompanied by Andy Field, Nick Finegan, and Crispin Lord. "On April 3, the Sultan of Brunei announced stoning, by death, as a new punishment of homosexuality and adultery. We do not condone the brutality of our LGBT sisters and brothers in Brunei." Tannahill was referring to laws that went into place that could see those convicted of sodomy or adultery sentenced to death by stoning. The new legislation has drawn criticism from the likes of Sir Elton John, Ellen Degeneres, George Clooney, and Bobby Berk since news initially broke surrounding its impending implementation.

"The Brunei Investment Agency owns and operates the Dorchester Hotel," he said, weaving through the restaurant to avoid staff and security. Others a part of the demonstration, yelled "Boycott the Dorchester Hotel." All were physically removed from the hotel.

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The protest comes as the latest escalation in a boycott of Dorchester Collection properties which own ten luxury venues around the world. Many of those venues began to delete their social media accounts on Wednesday.