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It's 1987. The Metropolitan Police are waging an intimidation campaign against London's LBTQ+ community.
Wearing rubber gloves to "protect from AIDS" they raid the Royal Vauxhall Tavern
"Well well," says Lily Savage (Paul O'Grady) from the stage as the police pile into the venue. "It looks like we’ve got help with the washing up" /1
The raid was one of a number carried out by the police, using obscure laws as justification for their intimidation.
In this instance, the excuse was "reports of drunkenness on premises"
With Lily continuing to mock the police, she was handcuffed and arrested with others. /2
Paul refused to drop his alter ego for the entire duration events.
When she was booked in, and ordered to give her name the answer was "Lily Savage".
When a REAL name was demanded, the reply was:
"Lily Veronica Mae Savage"
On release, Lily was back on stage the next night. /3
I don't think it can be overstated just how HUGE an impact Paul O'Grady had on people like my parents.
As the press, police and politicians waged a war on the LGBTQ+ community and stoked AIDS fear, Lily Savage was on TV making them laugh, and showing them that these were real people. People they didn't need to fear. /4
Once Paul started also presenting shows out of character this impact grew.
Paul O'Grady as presenter? Bosh. My dad would watch it. Whatever it was. Sick animal show. Talk show. Whatever.
I know my parents were not alone on this. It was happening in houses across the country. /5
That's all I wanted to say really. Just wanted to try and show that in the 80s and 90s the LGBTQ+ community was fighting a war on multiple fronts - against violence AND public perception.
There are few people who can claim they fought on both.
Paul O'Grady was one of them. /6
@garius The 90's was when the tide of that war started to change - even today we've still got a way to go, but that's the decade when homophobia started being called out as wrong, and it was no longer a 'safe' prejudice. And Paul was part of that. A surprisingly subversive (and side splittingly funny) performer!
@garius (oh, and for a 'that's all I wanted to say' thread, that was very well said)
@garius @cabd I still say the biggest defining event that changed attitudes and got the general population empathising with us in the UK was the death of Freddie Mercury. It made so many out there stop and think about what AIDS was and how it was destroying real people, including those who were admired and even loved.
RIP Paul. RIP Lily. Well done and thank you.
@backpaw @garius Losing (the absolute legend) Freddie made an impact, but I also think the passage of time and changing guard in politics made a difference. The generation that came to power after Thatcher were less homophobic, the kids at school were bombarded with 'safe sex' messages regardless of their own sexuality - I think that itself was a great leveller.
@garius A lovely tribute and yes, Paul was there, trailblazing with acerbic put downs and heart felt diatribes, as himself and as Lily.
@garius Fair to say Paul was the best of us - breaking down barriers, championing causes, honest, funny, empathetic. He'll be missed.
@garius Very interesting thread :)
@garius it's only now he's gone that so many of us truly realise what we had in him.
@garius And you said it eloquently.
@garius My favourite toot today - a real treasure and a deep loss. 
@garius Oh how marvellous
@garius drunkenness on a private property is a crime?
@mcfly @garius yes, drunkenness in a pub is a crime (Licensing Act 1872 s 12 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/35-36/94 ), possibly two because a publican must not serve alcohol to drunks (Licensing Act 2003 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/17/part/7/crossheading/drunkenness-and-disorderly-conduct ).