A protester was "aggressive and intimidating" to staff and visitors at a drag queen story-telling event aimed at children, a court has been told.
He is accused of making comments motivated by hostility towards sexual orientation and transgender identity.Westminster Magistrates' Court was told the defendant was part of a small group of protesters who tried to attend the event on 11 February but was refused entry as it was restricted to families with children.Gallery manager Matthew Rowan was the subject of verbal abuse from the defendant, as were people trying to attend, the court heard.
Mr Staton told the court Mr O'Connor had also said to Mr Rowan words to the effect of: "Do you think it's appropriate for a man to wear women's clothing?", and made comments about grooming and paedophilia.Mr Rowan told the court Mr O'Connor's demeanour was "quite aggressive", adding: "It felt like he was trying to intimidate his way into the event.
Mr O'Connor's solicitor Sundeep Pankhania said the defendant "does not hold any non-trans ideologies" and was protesting that day because of a link he believed existed between Aida H Dee and convicted child sex offender Darren Moore,The defendant, from Plaistow in east London, told the court he protested against the event because of the storyteller's "very close links" to Moore.