Police are investigating whether an incident at a Central London casino was homophobic after bouncers threw two men out of the venue, allegedly following a gay kiss.
According to the owners of the Hard Rock Casino, casino member Paul Gibson, 21, and his guest were asked to leave the venue on the evening of
23 August due to aggressive and disruptive behaviour that was disturbing other customers.
However, Gibson claims that it was casino staff who became aggressive after they saw him kissing his friend.
He said: "We were approached by the manager who said something like 'we don't tolerate homosexual behaviour here' and told us we had to leave.
When I protested, we were forced out of the casino by bouncers and one threw me to the ground."
Gibson, a US citizen who has been living in Waterloo, London, for the past two months, later had his membership of the club withdrawn without
explanation.
Amy Collier, a spokeswoman for Rank Group, which owns the Hard Rock Casinos, said everyone was welcome to the casino, irrespective of sexuality.
"However, if people are behaving in a way that disturbs others they will be asked to alter their behaviour, or in exceptional circumstances we have
no option than to ask them to leave."
Rank claim that homophobia was not a factor in the pair being thrown out and Gibson's membership subsequently being withdrawn. However, police are
investigating the matter as a possible gay-hate crime, with officers from the Paddington Community Safety Unit in charge of the case.