Jordan Tannahill, along with three other activists, crashed high tea at London’s Dorchester Hotel yesterday by informing patrons of the posh establishment that they were padding the pockets of a man who is currently committing human rights violations against LGBTQ people.
After being seated at a table for tea, Tannahill whipped out a bullhorn and announced that the hotel’s owner, the Sultan of Brunei, had recently implemented a law punishing gay sex with death by stoning.
Related: Sultan of Brunei’s hotels delete social media accounts following anti-gay stoning law
“In case you haven’t heard, there’s a boycott of the Dorchester Hotel,” Tannahill shouted into the bullhorn. “On April 3rd, the Sultan of Brunei, announced a ‘stoning by death’ with any punishment of homosexuality and adultery.”
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“We do not condone the brutality of our LGBT sisters and brothers in Brunei. The Brunei Investment Agency owns and operates the Dorchester Hotel. Please support the boycott of the Dorchester Hotel.”
Afternoon tea protest action at The Dorchester Hotel, in response to Brunei’s newly ratified laws condemning homosexuals to death by stoning. The Dorchester is owned and operated by the Brunei Investment Agency. #boycottthedorchester
Posted by Jordan Tannahill on Thursday, April 4, 2019
Activist Adam Eli posted video of Tannahill being dragged from the hotel by security whilst shouting “Boycott the Dorchester Hotel!” to Instagram yesterday, along with the caption: “You stone one of us you face us all!”
This is just the latest development in a growing outcry against Brunei’s brutal, homophobic law.
Celebrities like George Clooney, Elton John, Jaime Lee Curtis, Rufus Wainright, Ellen DeGeneres and Dua Lipa have all called for boycotts of the Sultan’s properties.
Los Angeles city leaders and anti-LGBTQ Republican Senator Ted Cruz support the boycott, even though it’ll undoubtedly affect American workers (including hairdressers, laments Queer Eyes‘ Jonathan Van Ness).
In light of the law, two Democratic Congresspeople have introduced legislation that would reinstate a federal position to help promote LGBTQ rights abroad.
Related: Sultan of Brunei’s hotels delete social media accounts following anti-gay stoning law
jcoberkrom
Good for them. Evil triumphs when good men to nothing.
I’m sure the Sultan will not change his mind, but he can be forced to sell these properties.
Vince
Any customers should be ashamed of themselves. You either care about people being murdered or you don’t. Simple as that.
winemaker
brunei, just another SHITHOLE controlled by some muslim anti gay bastard, I believe an economic and diplomatic BOYCOTT of brunei and its holdings and businesses that do business with these bastards is in order. Along with a BOYCOTT, a freeze of all brunei assets in US banks and investment firms, kind of like what we did to iran in 1981 with the hostage crisis needs to be implemented IMMEDIATELY! Sort of like the Cuban trade embargo, but much more brutal, a total world embargo against brunei and all nations allowing this outrage. Time for being nice is over. Bring this worthless no good bastard to his knees economically!
MacAdvisor
“Protestors crash high tea at hotel”
It was not a high tea. Despite what some think the name implies, like high church, high tea is an informal event. It is called high tea because tea is served from a buffet or highboy. The food and tea are laid out and guests serve themselves. It is generally a family or work thing. When I worked at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, we had high tea at four every afternoon. All the mathematicians and the staff would stop work, go to the common room, have a snack with some tea, and socialize for 15 minutes. It was a break and provide food between lunch at noon and dinner at eight. That is high tea.
Low tea, on the other hand, is served by the host from a low table, what we would call a coffee table, to guests. Typically a woman, the host would pickup a cup and saucer, pour tea, and hand it to a guest after asking if they would like sugar or milk. There would often be small food items, such as cookies (what the British call “biscuits”) or finger sandwiches. Low tea is a formal event.
Cap413
I thought high tea meant smoking marijuana with your cup of tea. Like high brunch.
Chevelter
All of the Sultan’s hotels COMBINED are just pocket change to him. If you want to hurt him or any Sharia law countries stop using O – I – L.
dwes09
We import very little oil from Brunai. We are one of the top 10 oil producing countries in the world, and Brunai ranks at # 42. Their reserves have passed peak which is why they are trying to diversify their economy. They import a lot of manufactured goods and agricultural products from us, so if we didn’t have such regressive administration cutting back on trade would be the way to go.
The state department did not respond at all to Brunei’s new law untill the press called them on it. The response was, at best, weak and generic. When asked specifically if the US condemns stoning of LGBT people and adulterers (as well as amputation for thieves) the State Department did not respond. And while Trump has treated outrage over quite trivial things, there has been no response to this.
JessPH
Pressure world leaders and the UN to impose economic sanctions on Brunei. That’s what we should do
lovethyneighbor
Absolutely feeling the need for strong voice and support for the LGBTQ+ community where many are being stoned to death, which is a barbaric and heinous act that shouldn’t be supported by any civilized country or state. Shame on you, Brunei, for one day, your time to be stoned will come. It will be at that time, you will realize the full extent of the brutality you have placed upon others. Wow, “judge not that ye be judged” is something so many, who claim to represent God, will never get.
dwes09
Brunei has not executed a gay person since 1957. And they have not started to again. So, no many gay people are not being stoned to death in Brunei.
But they are being whipped or caned and imprisoned, which is certainly bad enough. And given all the other places to go on the island of Borneo, there is no reason at all to visit Brunei and put money in the pocket of savages.
They push themselves as an exotic tourist destination, being on the Island of Borneo and having great beaches and virgin rainforest. Their tourism logo is “Land of Peace”, which is a laugh.
People have started to place very amusing comments and images on their Facebook tourism page.
bowlingbutch
THAT took courage. A much better story than some queen breaking up with his 2 boyfriends. This is important work.
draven
God bless you Activist Adam Eli.
Thank you. You are a hero!
Your in my prayers and my heart.
The world needs more people like you
Didn’t Glaad have there awards ceremony last month at one of those hotels? If so what’s up with that???????
draven
Excuse typo “there” should be “their”.
For all the typo “queen” police grammar queens lol
rand503
If I could, I would board a flying carpet and fly it right into his buildings.
hayesj
I applaud them . The world will not change if we stand idly by.
Milton
These guys been protesting at saudi ownded establishments? Or somali or nigerian.
Its all good to hilight Brunais abhorrent new law but its not the only country out there where consenting homosexuals can be given the death penalty should we not be addressing them too?
jayjay333
Bravo! Well done. We need more people to raise awareness like this.
Billysees
” We need more people to raise awareness like this ”
Yes…definitely.
one more thing
They should throw tomatoes at people when they come out of the hotel…..
Daggerman
…dreadfully embarrassing. If people grew up and accepted homosexuality as a NORMAL way of life…(AND IT IS) this wouldn’t have had to happen..well anyway–the hotel charges outrageous prices and will not get away with this kind of hypocrisy. I am NOT gonna go there soon!!!