Ocean Rooms in Gorleston tell a Feminist Activist to STFU

Ocean Rooms in Gorleston aren't content with having the convicted rapist Mike Tyson appear in their venue. They are now actively telling feminist activist Kim Graham to stop whining about it. This is Graham's original tweet to @Ocean_Room

Kim Graham ‏@dizzy84.@Ocean_Room I'd rather not have convicted rapist, Mike Tyson appearing as a "special guest", right on my doorstep, thanks.

And this is their reply:

Ocean Room Gorleston ‏@Ocean_Room@dizzy84 he pays people's wadges tickets are nearly sold out keep your opinions to yourselves maybe ?

Way to support rape culture there. Not only giving the convicted rapist a platform in which he gets to whine about not actually being a rapist because he was, like, set-up. Cus, he's a celebrity. And, celebrities don't need to rape women. Now, they're telling women to shut up. 

The Ocean Rooms are still pretending they aren't involved in the Mike Tyson event because it's being put on by someone. Now, I might be a bit confused here but I'm pretty sure that by renting out their space to a convicted rapist, they are, in fact, involved in supporting a rapist [and that's without getting into the issue of Tyson's history of domestic violence]. They also think its totally irrelevant that the organiser of this little piece of pro-rape bullshit thinks that Tyson is a "wrongly-convicted rapist". Kim Graham has already been in touch with the organiser, Carl Moore, who is the one claiming that Tyson was "wrongly-convicted". So, not only are Ocean Rooms hosting a convicted rapist, they are passing the buck onto the organiser who is a rape-denier. Way to stay classy there Dudes.

Tyson is due to speak at the Ocean Rooms in Gorleston on October 12th. There is a petition available here. This is the text of the petition: 

Mike Tyson is a convicted rapist who served three years of a six year sentence for raping an 18 year old woman. He has been completely unrepentant.

We see fewer than 6% of rapists convicted of their crimes, and even in the result of a conviction, survivors and victims struggle to be believed. By providing an event that celebrates a convicted rapist, we send the message out that rapists are role models; a harmful message for both survivors and for young people. 

The idea of giving a convicted rapist a "hero's welcome" is both deeply offensive and damaging.

You can also contact the venue directly: 

Ocean Rooms

Pier Gardens

Gorleston, Norfolk
NR31 6PP
Phone: 01493 667890
http://www.oceanroom.co.uk

Do feel free to contact @Ocean_Room directly on twitter!