Drag Race stars and Ana Matronic protest Met Police over handling of drag queen Heklina’s death
Heklina was found dead in her apartment in London in 2023
By Gary Grimes
A number of Drag Race stars and friends of the late drag queen Heklina took to the streets of London to protest against what they say is the Met Police’s mishandling of the investigation into the performer’s death.
Following last month’s announcement of a planned protest, yesterday over one hundred people marched from Big Ben to New Scotland Yard to protest for justice for the drag queen who was found dead in her apartment in London in 2023.
Among those who marched were Drag Race stars Cheddar Gorgeous and Crystal, former Scissor Sisters vocalist Ana Matronic, and Heklina’s close friend Peaches Christ who discovered her body in 2023. Other prominent drag artists were also involved, including Afrika America, Chiyo and Trixie Carr.
Human rights campaigner Peter Tachell and London Assembly Member for the Green Party Zoe Garbett were also present.
Peaches Christ (real name Joshua Grannell) previously told the BBC that he was assigned a family liaisons officer by the Met at the time of Heklina (real name Steven Grygelko)’s death, and was told he would receive weekly updates on the investigation but they did not respond to any of his subsequent emails to them.
The drag queen also criticised the Met for failing to take swift action in investigating the matter. To date, no cause of death has been determined.
“It is hard not to conclude that such homophobia has affected the Met’s investigation in this case…” – Paul W Fleming of Equity
“Heklina was one of my oldest and closest friends. We were family and finding her dead in London was truly traumatising, but it has only been made worse by the complete lack of attention from the London Met Police. For nearly two years, myself and Heklina’s next of kin have been ignored,” said Peaches Christ. “Only when I went to the media was there a response. Queer people deserve to be treated fairly and equally and we demand change.”
Paul W Fleming, General Secretary of Equity, a performing arts and entertainment trade union that represents drag artists, spoke at the protest. Last week, he also wrote a letter to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan about the matter, writing: “As you know, this investigation came at a time when Baroness Casey’s landmark report into the Metropolitan Police found the force to be institutionally homophobic. It is hard not to conclude that such homophobia has affected the Met’s investigation in this case…”
Cheddar Gorgeous also commented: “The continued insensitive and incompetent handling of Heklina’s death by the Metropolitan Police is a stark reminder of the way assumptions, born of prejudice, continue to cloud police inquiry in the UK. The way that we dress, how we identify or details of our personal lives, should never be allowed to determine the quality of protection provided by the police.”
In a statement provided to Attitude, Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who leads policing in the local area, said: “We know that many feel deep distress following Steven’s death and some feel frustration with the pace of the police investigation. We are also aware of the concerns of Steven’s next of kin and have apologised to them directly.
“A full review of the investigation is ongoing to establish any missed opportunities. We continue to examine all lines of enquiry in relation to Steven’s death and remain steadfast in our determination to establish the facts.”