Feminist comedian Kate Smurthwaite’s Goldsmiths gig ‘sabotaged’ by anonymous protesters

Group claiming to be responsible says comedian is 'actively harming vulnerable people'

The comedian, pictured, was led to believe she would be performing to a sold out crowd (Kate Smurthwaite via Facebook)

A comedian and political activist has criticised the anonymous protest group that sabotaged her gig at Goldsmiths by making her believe tickets had sold out when, in fact, they had been booked in bulk by “spurious email addresses.”

Kate Smurthwaite, 40, who describes herself as “left-wing, feminist, and atheist” on her website, was made to believe she would be performing to a sold-out crowd of around 70 people at the university’s students’ union (SU).

However, when she showed up on the night to perform ‘The Wrong Kind of Feminist’ - a show centred around free speech - only eight people were present.

The Oxford graduate then took to Facebook to hit out at the protesters for sabotaging the show, in the process, hindering fundraising efforts for “a vital charity.” She said: “The tickets had been reserved in bulk by people using spurious email addresses to make a point by then not showing up.

“So, a load of people who wanted to see my show were not able to and a vital charity doing life-saving work missed out on at least several hundred quid, maybe more. I hope you’re really proud.”

Soon after, an anonymous Twitter page surfaced, claiming responsibility for snapping up all the tickets as part of a “peaceful protest against someone who’s [sic] views we find abhorrent.”

Accusing the comedian of “actively harming vulnerable people,” the statement from the group continued: “She has frequently aired her transphobic, whorephobic, islamophobic, and bigoted views, and has made a career from this bigotry which she continues to profit from.”

However, speaking with the London Evening Standard, Ms Smurthwaite described how, whenever she asks protesters for examples of when she has been Islamophobic, it’s when she has quoted the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.

She also told the site she has shared views on the sex industry, but that they’re also shared by charities and those who used to work in the industry. Ms Smurthwaite continued: “They always say ‘transphobia’, but there is not one single thing anyone can show me that I am even supposed to have said.

“I’ve campaigned for years for trans rights. I think people just make a list of things that end in ‘phobic’.”

In an email to the Independent, an SU spokesperson said: “One of our societies organised and hosted an event featuring Kate Smurthwaite on 23 March. Tickets were free of charge and reserved via a ticketing site. The allocation of 75 tickets had been reached previous to the event and, on the night, under ten people attended.”

Since the Goldsmiths incident, the comedian has set up a JustGiving page to raise the money for Refugee Action which she wasn’t able to do via her appearance at the SU. So far, Ms Smurthwaite has gone over her £500 target by almost 400 per cent to raise nearly £2,000.

A spokesperson for the charity told the Independent: “We are constantly inspired by and are grateful to individuals and groups from across the UK who choose to fundraise independently on behalf of Refugee Action.”

This incident has come after the same London institution decided to prevent Ms Smurthwaite from appearing at the SU last year after the Feminist Society protested when the comedian suggested a chain of strip clubs should cut their opening hours.