There have been calls for people to oppose a planned “comedy” event in Derry featuring Katie Hopkins.
The former Apprentice contestant, who in recent years has embarked on a career as a political pundit and has attracted criticism for her views on immigration and Islam among other topics, is due to appear at Derry’s Everglades Hotel on June 17.
The appearance is part of the 50-year-old’s ‘Bats**t Bonkers Britain’ UK and Ireland tour, which is described in posters as “stand-up”.
The event is one five Irish dates, which also include two shows in Belfast’s Europa Hotel - one of which is sold out according to Ms Hopkins’ website - and also Dublin and Cork.
Both the Europa and Everglades hotels are owned by the Hastings Hotels group.
However, the Derry branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) has called upon people to email the Everglades Hotel “to demand they cancel” the event.
The group has prepared a pre-written email for people to send to the hotel in which they make a number of accusations about Ms Hopkins.
📢📢📢We call on all #Derry and #Strabane people to show their objection to the Everglades Hotel hosting a Katie Hopkins...
Posted by Derry IPSC on Thursday 13 February 2025
“Derry is a city built on solidarity, resistance to oppression, and a commitment to human rights. The people of Derry and Strabane will not sit idly by while the Everglades Hotel hosts someone who openly mocks the suffering of others.”
The email continues: “If this event goes ahead, I, and many others, will support a boycott of Hastings Hotels and the Everglades. I urge you to reconsider and cancel this event. If you will not think about the 20,000 children murdered in Gaza by Israel, armed by the US and enabled by the UK, then at least think about your reputation and the message this sends to the people of Derry.”
Ms Hopkins has previously spoken of her support for Israel.
In 2020, she was removed from what was then Twitter after breaching the social media platform’s rules on “abuse and hateful conduct”, but her account was reinstated in 2023 following the purchase of the site by billionaire Elon Musk.
A tweet by her in 2018 about the Muslim Ramadan festival led to an apology by then-DUP North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jr after he re-tweeted it. After deleting the post, a party spokesperson said it had been “totally inappropriate and the DUP deplores its sentiments”.
In 2017, the commentator was removed from her slot on radio station LBC after a tweet in which she called for a “final solution” following the Manchester Arena bombing in which 22 people were killed in a blast carried out by Islamic extremist Salman Abedi.
In a Sun column in 2015, she compared migrants to “cockroaches”.
On her website, a description of Ms Hopkins show states: “Whether it’s poking fun at sickly sweet celebrities, sticking two fingers up at hypocrites in charge, or tearing herself a new one, Katie is unapologetically bold. This is a laugh out loud escape for all the adults in your family.”
The Irish News approached Hastings Hotels for comment.
