Protesters to hold ‘Big Gay Kiss-in’ at Sainsbury’s in Hackney

Protest: Sainsbury’s on Hackney Road

A ‘Big Gay Kiss-in’ is to take place at Sainsbury’s on Hackney Road this Saturday.

Thomas Rees, 32, and his boyfriend Josh were confronted by security at the branch on Monday after a customer complained about them holding hands, as reported by the Hackney Citizen.

The guard told the couple their behaviour was “inappropriate”.

Sainsbury’s has since apologised and offered Mr Rees a £10 voucher.

Journalist Michael Segalov is organising a ‘kiss-in’ at the store at 7pm this Saturday in protest at the supermarket’s attitude.

Mr Segalov, who works for culture magazine Huck, tweeted: “Sainsbury’s kicked out gays from their shops, again, so we’re going to go and snog in their aisles… again.”

plz invite ppl on FB to this as it’s important and if you don’t it’ll just be me snogging in aubergine in the tinned goods aisle alone.

— Michael Segalov (@MikeSegalov) 11 August 2016

This isn’t the first time Sainsbury’s has come under fire for its treatment of same-sex couples.

Campaigners staged a ‘kiss-in’ at a branch in Brighton in 2014 after a security guard ejected a lesbian couple from the store for kissing.

Mr Segalov commented: “Back then, the supermarket chain promised us they’d sort out their training to ensure this could never happen again. Guess what? It has.

“In a year that’s seen attacks all too often on the LGBT community, it’s high time that Sainsbury’s put their money where their mouths are and use their resources to ensure that homophobia becomes a thing of the past.

“A £10 voucher just doesn’t cut it.”

So far, nearly one hundred people have signed up to take part in Saturday’s ‘kiss-in’.

For more details, you can visit the Facebook page for the event here.