Actors Idris Elba and Michaela Coel, and supermodel Naomi Campbell have joined forces with other influential names in fashion, film and media to express their solidarity with the LGBTQ family in an open letter tagged #GhanaSupportsEquality on Monday.
It comes after the recently opened community center in Accra called ‘LGBT + Rights Ghana’ was raided. Center head Alex Kofi Donkor told CNN last Thursday that he was concerned about his safety.
Among the letter’s 67 signatories are British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, Netflix chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John and Virgil Abloh, chief executive officer at Off White and artistic director at Louis Vuitton.
“To our Ghanaian LGBTQIA + family: we see you and we hear you. We are in awe of your strength, your courage and your daring to be true to who you are, even if it is dangerous to do so,” he said. the letter.
“You are loved, you are important, and you deserve a safe place to come together in your shared experience.”
Referring to the raid on the center, the celebrities said they had seen the events of the past few weeks with “deep concern.”
“It is unacceptable to us that you feel unsafe,” the letter added.
The celebrities, who pledged to keep abreast of developments regarding Ghana’s LGBTQ community, also pledged to protect them with their shared power and influence.
“Neither the February 24 raid nor any other intimidation has the power to break your indomitable spirit. It only encourages all of us to act with more urgency and intention,” the letter continued.
They then called on Akufo-Addo as well as political and cultural leaders to “engage in meaningful and purposeful dialogue” with the community to “create a path for alliance, protection and support”.
Robbery at the LGBTQ center
A spokeswoman for the Ghana Police Service (GPS) told CNN Saturday that the opening of the center was in violation of the country’s gay law and the prevailing views on homosexual activities in Ghana.
“To the extent that Ghanaian law criminalizes certain actions promoted by LGBTQI + and Ghanaian society largely abhors this, no one expects any individual or group to set up such an office or center,” said Chief Inspector Sheilla Abayie-Buckman, the director from GPS. Public Affairs, said.
Abayie-Buckman said security forces stormed the rented non-profit center after a complaint from the property owner, who feared his building was “in danger of being burned for allegedly illegal purposes.”
“Our search found that it was being used for or in connection with LGBTQ affairs. Since no one was in the house, it was locked up so residents could report to the police to answer questions,” she added.
Abayie-Buckman told CNN that no arrests have been made in connection with the police’s findings.
‘Nobody owns the business yet. The case is under police surveillance, ”she said.
In response to the question whether the residents of the LGBTQ center will be arrested if they show up for questioning, the police spokeswoman said, “It depends on what the investigation would reveal.”
In a statement sent to CNN on Monday, the LGBT + Rights Ghana group said: “We are law-abiding Ghanaian citizens who have not committed any unlawfulness. So once our security is guaranteed, we are ready to take the police’s invitation for questioning. to comply. “
The group said the center was established to support Ghana’s vulnerable LGBTQ community, which has endured years of discrimination and persecution.
“On January 31, we opened a safe space to support Ghanaian LGBTQI + individuals who are being abused, discriminated against or neglected by their families,” the statement said. “Shortly afterwards, we received threats and attacks from various quarters.”
“Traditional leaders in Kwabenya, the area where our office is located, threatened to burn down the office,” it added.
The group said none of those who had arrested these threats had been arrested by the police.
“Instead, on February 24, police officers, a representative of our landlord, traditional leaders and a few other individuals entered our office without our permission. Alex Kofi Donkor, our executive director, felt immediate danger and left the property for a hiding place.”