What we were doing was completely illegal. We were in a local government office, organising a demonstration against the government to try to stop legislation being presented. We had a secret office in the town hall attic where more than 100 people would meet every week. I had also helped to set up the North West Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Equality, the group responsible for orchestrating the Manchester demonstration. Paul Fairweather … ‘There was a sense that the whole community was under threat.’ Photograph: Joel GoodmanĪt the time that section 28 was being discussed in parliament, I was one of Manchester city council’s gay men’s officers, working on issues such as employment, service delivery and developing community groups.
