Students to hold kiss-in at Sainsbury’s after gay complaint
By Sam Rigby
A group of students will hold a kiss-in at a Sainsbury’s store following a recent complaint over a gay kiss.
The event will take place at the New England Street in Brighton tonight at 6pm after the group deemed the supermarket’s response to the incident inadequate.
On Saturday (October 11), University of Sussex student, Annabelle Paige, and her girlfriend were told to stop kissing by a security guard, following a complaint from a customer – read more here.
Sainsbury’s issued a statement saying that the event “should never have happened” and offered to make a cash donation to a charity of Paige’s choice.
The students described the event as a “big consensual kiss in”, which will “show Sainsbury’s we won’t accept homophobia in our society, and that we demand they do more”.
Michael Segalov, the University of Sussex’s NUS communications officer, said: “If Sainsbury’s say they are committed to tackling inequality that’s not going very far.”
He added that the company need to issue a more public apology and make a substantial donation to a charity. They should also “inform customers and the community of what equality and diversity training they give their staff, to make sure this never happens again”.
Over 1,000 people have replied to the event on Facebook.
Segalov added: “Remember, all kissing must be consensual. You are welcome to attend and not kiss anyone, kiss a butternut squash, etc.”
Sainsbury’s said: “We have always welcomed everyone into our stores and will do so as usual on Wednesday.”
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