BRITAIN: Gay Journo Walks Off Set When Hosts Won’t Acknowledge Homophobia As Root Of Attack [VIDEO]

The Independent reports:

Journalist Owen Jones stormed out of a live television interview about the mass killing in Orlando in protest at his interviewer’s refusal to name the shooting an attack on LGBT people.

“At the end of the day this was a homophobic hate crime, as well as terrorism and it has to be called out, as I have to say, on Sky News and lots of news channels, there’s not been many LGBT voices that I’ve heard myself,” he said.

“[…] it is one of the worst atrocities committed against LGBT people in the western world for generations and it has to be called out as such,” he added.

Host Mark Longhurst interjected and said the crime had been carried out against “human beings” who were “ trying to enjoy themselves, whatever their sexuality.”

Mr Jones fired back that Mr Longhurst “could not understand” as he was not gay. He also said the presenters were trying to “deflect” the homophobic element of the attack.

When co-panelist and journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer suggested that the killer might have taken equal umbrage against her, “a gobby woman”, Mr Jones became increasingly exasperated.

“I’m sorry, I just find this the most astonishing thing I’ve ever been involved in on television,” he said. “If he’d [Mateen had] walked into a synagogue and massacred dozens of Jewish people, you wouldn’t be saying what you’re saying now.”