Drag queen who known as Lawrence Fox ‘racist’ offers proof at trial

A drag queen being sued by Laurence Fox for accusing him of racism informed a courtroom he was ‘calling out behaviour I noticed as racist’ and wasn’t attempting to destroy the actor’s profession.

Fox is accused of defamation by former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake and drag queen Colin Seymour, often known as Crystal, for calling them ‘paedophiles’ on Twitter.

But 45-year-old Fox, who’s founding father of the Reclaim Party, is counter-suing the pair and Coronation Street actress Nicola Thorp, 35, after they branded him a ‘racist’ in response to a publish by the grocery store Sainsbury’s celebrating Black History Month.

Former GB News presenter Fox is greatest identified for taking part in DS James Hathaway within the ITV collection Lewis and was previously married to Doctor Who actress Billie Piper.

He claims he known as the trio paedophiles as a ‘baseless and meaningless’ insult in response to them ‘baselessly’ calling him racist in October 2020. But Seymour and Blake declare the insult was primarily based on what they understand as Fox’s homophobic tropes.

Seymour, a contestant in season one of many BBC3 present RuPaul‘s Drag Race UK, gave proof on the High Court in London at present sporting a gray swimsuit with flared trousers and one earring.

Patrick Green, KC, representing Fox, confirmed Seymour a video of Fox being interviewed by Julia Hartley-Brewer on TalkTV the place he admitted he known as the trio paedophiles.

He additionally recommended he regretted the insult, saying ‘two wrongs do not make a proper’.

Mr Green requested Seymour whether or not he had taken this as an apology. 

Seymour mentioned he would have anticipated a for much longer apology with Fox stating what he had performed mistaken.

‘The reality it is an allegation that is been repeated to me for 3 years, together with two nights in the past dozens of occasions, exhibits the impact,’ he mentioned.

Seymour was requested if he disagreed with Fox’s assertion that most individuals within the UK are good.

‘No I do not disagree with that, I disagree along with his characterisation of patriotism as solely specializing in the great,’ he mentioned.

‘I’d additionally name myself a patriot and due to this fact suppose it is vital to advocate for a greater nation for everybody.’

Mr Green requested if this was the supply of his disagreement with Fox. ‘No, the supply of my disagreement with Fox is that he known as me a paedophile’, Seymour replied.

‘I disagree along with his characterisation of “racist” as being a baseless insult and that being an try to shut down dialog.

‘I believe it is cheap in a rustic of free speech to have conversations about if issues we expect and really feel are influenced by racism. I do not suppose it is an insult significantly, it is a foundation for dialog.

‘You are effectively conscious calling somebody a racist or outing them as racist can have extraordinarily severe penalties,’ Mr Green mentioned.

‘Sure,’ Seymour replied. He added: ‘The concept I used to be making an attempt to destroy his profession by calling him a racist is offensive – I used to be calling out behaviour I noticed as racist which I believe I used to be inside my rights to do.

‘It had nothing to do with animosity or ruining Mr Fox’s life, I used to be calling out behaviour.’

Seymour mentioned he had pretty been accused of racism himself previously and had apologised and moved on.

‘I’ve a wider understanding of the phrase racism than an outright hostility to somebody due to their ethnicity.

‘But I believe deriding a publish about Black History Month does display some hostility in direction of people who find themselves black, sure.’

Mr Green confirmed him messages he had despatched associates within the weeks after the feedback saying many didn’t point out he had been induced misery by Fox’s remark.

Seymour mentioned he generally ‘performed down’ his misery and generally he did not.

In one message he informed a good friend there have been ‘actually dozens of tweets calling me a paedo and a nonce – individuals are rabid and scary’.

‘Really does not hassle me personally however gross to know these individuals are on the market.’

He mentioned: ‘I believe the very fact individuals are checking in on me due to what occurred signifies it was in all probability fairly distressing – that one thing disagreeable was occurring to me on the time.’

Mr Green recommended Seymour was saying he didn’t really feel distressed.

The Canadian replied: ‘I believe saying individuals are rabid and scary and that it is gross to know all these individuals are about signifies a stage of worry and misery.’

Seymour created a gaggle chat known as ‘Crystal vs LF’, the courtroom heard.

In one other message he mentioned ‘sudden Sunday drama – no biggie’.

A good friend despatched a message saying she was ‘excited’ Seymour was taking Fox on.

Seymour informed the courtroom: ‘Yes lots of people felt Mr Fox was racist at that time – lots of people felt the identical means I did that he was a racist.’

Seymour then mentioned in a message: ‘Imagine being married to Billie Piper and holding these views – the cognitive dissonance that this requires.’

Bespectacled Fox sat behind his barristers in courtroom in a navy swimsuit.

Thorp, pregnant together with her first little one, wore a purple costume and gray coat sat subsequent to Blake.

The trial, earlier than Mrs Justice Collins Rice, is because of conclude subsequent week with a choice anticipated at a later date. The listening to continues.