september june jamaican gay rights activist founded flag known earliest openly gay men jamaican society best known gay rights activists born upper middle class family saint ann parish initially considered life roman catholic clergy deciding devote cause gay rights jamaica 1990s purchased apartment building area kingston established gay nightclub remained open years despite opposition police founded flag lesbian gay bisexual lgbt rights activists soon public face organisation representative argued favour lgbt rights appearances jamaican television radio programs attracted great hostility jamaica country particularly high rates anti gay prejudice flag members receiving death threats surviving knife attack time left jamaica living canada england years returning kingston june murdered apartment acquaintance aiding financial police believed motive robbery suggested played killing subsequently sentenced life prison learning murder crowd assembled celebrate death chanting lyrics conversely jamaican lgbt community held secret memorial protests killing held lgbt rights groups united_kingdom biography born upper middle class family rural initially considered joining clergy roman_catholic_church studying position eventually decided began devote cause gay rights jamaica individual public manner jamaica reputation widespread anti gay prejudice attitude public discourse levels society number popular jamaican musicians violence gay men lyrics initially offered apartment kingston space gay meet roughly fortnight early 1990s purchased large property street converting building gay nightclub called entourage attended club worked city foreign police tried close club remained open years attacked patron carrying knife slash arm sex sexual relations men illegal jamaica openly gay members jamaica lesbian gay bisexual lgbt community decided form organisation campaign rights resulting establishment flag december sought enhance lgbt rights advocacy encouraging legal reform educational social service programs kept record anti lgbt hate crimes including assaults home invasions rape recording murder gay men time group foundation members subjected repeated death threats public face group appearing radio talk shows television shows argued called greater government investment tackle hiv aids unlike lgbt rights activists jamaica seek protect pseudonym voice hiding appearance facing hostility threats violence left jamaica moved canada england returning island moved apartment street compound decided renewed role jamaica lgbt rights movement lived room apartment block rented number murder financially affluent offer money odd jobs acquaintances lgbt community befriended gay man user crack cocaine prior known locally dog met helped purchasing newspapers sell streets according seen times want brian brian money brian food help purchase newspaper sell road june arrived flat man welcoming offering bottles asked money agreed later evening attacked stabbing seventy times body discovered chambers approximately chambers noticed air conditioning left unlikely realised bedroom door left investigating opened door discovered corpse lying face floor multiple stab wounds neck surrounded pool blood dog running room scene crime visited father accompanied sister convinced look body friends crowds assembled outside apartment block individuals laughing celebrating death assembled people shouted statements long killed let time sin man dead die sang boom bye bye line song discusses shooting burning gay men human rights watch researcher meeting planned day arrived home find assembled crowd noted like parade basically police investigation conviction police issued statement declaring searching men chambers observed apartment prior death corporal informed press police suspected motive attack robbery evidence pointing fact apartment safe removed friends human rights organisations suggested given status openly gay man robbery secondary issue main motive crime expressed suspicion killing hate related crime view killed publicly visible gay man urged police dismiss alternative possible motives amnesty informed press know high level jamaica possibility hate crime hate crime victims robbed afterward saying wasn robbery want investigation publicly stated important investigate crime thoroughly strong indications attack june days murder police arrested suspect provided confession subsequently pleaded guilty court legal representative urged judge suspect shown remorse crime moment arrest judge justice sentenced life prison possibility parole years reaction death jamaica observer described jamaica prominent gay rights activist bbc independent called country best known gay rights activist guardian termed public face gay rights country volunteer stated courageous stopped think trouble sense succeeded leader informed press gay person jamaica courage face television close murder traumatic loss community member stated days later held memorial devoted attended people memorial involved personal tributes poetry lip whitney houston songs june british lgbt rights group outrage held memorial outside london outrage leader attended proclaiming jamaican prime minister shares responsibility wave violence culminating murder failed sex sexual activity clamp violence jamaican society attendance member big lesbian attended singing rendition let people study relationship attitudes jamaica britain described murder prominent example anti gay murder island academic sources
Brian Williamson