Drag queen at centre of Tate Britain protests hopes to be children’s ‘role model’
A drag queen whose storytelling event for families sparked angry protests has revealed his ambition to be the role model he never had as a child.
Demonstrators clashed over award-winning author Aida H Dee hosting three story-time sessions at Tate Britain on Saturday.
Nationalist organisation, Patriotic Alternative, is understood to have led around 30 protesters, coming face to face with a similar number of counter-protesters fronted by campaign group, Stand Up to Racism.
Sab Samuel – who performs as the drag artist – said the day was “awesome” with “no disruptions” to the readings.
A handful of people gained access to the building in Millbank, but had no impact on the events, held to mark LGBT+ History Month.
On Sunday, Samuel said the drag readings for children were an important topic but had been “completely blown out of proportion” by protesters.
Speaking to TalkTV presenter Trisha Goddard, Samuel revealed how he “hated himself” while growing up – because he believed being gay was negative.
“All I want to do is be the role model that I wish I had when I was five years old,” he said.
“If I was told that gay was a good word and gay is fine, I wouldn’t have gone through the horrendous mental health battle and somewhat self-loathing that I had to go through to get to the point I’m at now, where I don’t just tolerate myself, I love myself.”
Samuel hopes his readings can serve as a “catalyst” for children to begin “living their true selves”, and save them from the “horrendous mental health battle” he endured growing up.
“I didn’t have a single LGBTQ role model, like every gay man out there,” he added.
The drag queen hopes the readings can serve as a “catalyst” for children to begin “living their true selves” Pic: Drag Queen Story Hour
He instead looked up to powerful women including Madonna and Lady Gaga.
He continued: “Why are they surprised that we are now sat here embracing femininity with drag?
“Femininity is not just something to be tolerated, just like LGBTQ, we want to embrace it, it’s fabulous, why wouldn’t we?”
Young people have approached the drag artist at events to ask for advice on coming out as gay to their parents.
“Years later, they’ve come out and they’ve now got a partner and they’re completely happy,” he added.
Protesters against the readings held banners saying “No drag for kids” and “Leave our kids alone!”.
Protestors and police at the scene outside Tate Britain
Protestors at the scene Pic: Twitter / Gareth Harris
Protesters and counter-demonstrators clashed outside the central London art gallery
Counter-protesters waved placards saying “Don’t let the far right divide us” and “trans rights now”.
Stand Up To Racism tweeted on Saturday: “What are you afraid of it’s just wigs and makeup.”
However critics insisted children “do not belong” at drag shows.
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One protester named as Lance O’Connor, 53, has been charged with assault on an emergency worker, obstruction of a police officer and two homophobic aggravated public order offences.
The 53-year-old, from Plaistow, east London, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The storytelling events were organised by Drag Queen Story Hour UK, which now has multiple performers based across Britain performing at schools, festivals, museums, conventions.
Their aim is to “show the world that being different is not a bad thing”.
“By providing imaginative role models for children to look up to, we can change the world book by book!”, their website says.
Aida H Dee, described as an “ADHD, neurodivergent, queer hero of literature, theatre, and children’s entertainment”, is the first drag artist in Europe to read stories to children in a nursery, according to the Tate Britain website.
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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