Names should be taken for fire safety at the start of the session, but they can be discarded as soon as the session ends. There is no need for minutes, notes on discussions, or outcomes of the meeting. For an autistic child, or one who is bullied and not fitting in, an LGBTQ+ club is often seen as somewhere safe to go once a week.
The Indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981 aims to protect the unsuspecting public from unwilling exposure to indecent material, such as explicit posters or objects visible in public view. Causing it or permitting it is an offence. Art galleries, museums, and sex shops are exempt from the Act, as adults choose to enter to see the material, and there are often age warnings beyond a point. Libraries are not exempt, as they are open to all.
Outraging public decency, which is common law in England, states that displays must be capable of outraging public decency and occur in a public place accessible to the public. Historic Good Rule and Government Byelaws, made under Section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972, empower councils to prevent public nuisances, indecent language, indecent displays, and offensive behaviour in public spaces — principles which remain relevant to the safeguarding of children in modern public venues.
As well as the inappropriate stands, the open mic was dangerously loud, and included a performer referring to a song by the band Femtanyl! When official complaints were raised after the event, the responses highlighted the worrying lack of safeguarding oversight of third-party events, disregard for protecting children’s data, and, perhaps most worryingly, the destruction of CCTV footage from the event.Â
Cllr Hill’s upcoming motion aims to address the safeguarding failures that enabled this event, but will the other councillors be too captured by queer ideology to vote for improving child protection? Unfortunately, we suspect so.Â
We wonder whether there are similar events taking place in your geographical area. We wonder how many children have been introduced to sexual concepts inappropriate for their age and level of development. Â We wonder how many children have given their names, age, and contact details to a website collecting such data in exchange for a sweet treat.
None of this should have been possible.
Together, we can stop this happening at a library near you in 2026.