A protest was held by friends of drag queen Heklina to demand justice following her death (Mark Thomas)
More than 100 people have called for justice for a US drag queen who died two years ago this week, and to protest about the Metropolitan Police’s handling of the case.
Stefan Grygelko, who worked under the name Heklina, was found dead at a property in London’s Soho Square by fellow drag queen Peaches Christ in 2023. The police referred to her death as “unexpected”.
Heklina was set to perform in Mommie Queerest, a musical parody of 1981 film Mommy Dearest, in London and Manchester, alongside Peaches.
On Monday (31 March), friends of the star, fellow drag artists and other members of the LGBTQ+ community marched from Big Ben to New Scotland Yard in protest of the Met’s handling of the case, for which the force has apologised, and the alleged homophobic bias of some officers.
Speakers included Cheddar Gorgeous and Crystal, as well as Peaches and Scissor Sisters singer Ana Matronic, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, and Green Party London Assembly Member Zoë Garbett.
Marchers chanted “London Met, we’re not done yet” and held up placards bearing slogans such as Queer safety over police power”, We deserve justice, not discrimination and Pride, not prejudice, hold the Met accountable.
“Heklina was one of my oldest and closest friends,” Peaches said. “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 Met Police. For nearly two years, myself and Heklina’s next of kin have been ignored. Only when I went to the media was there a response.
“Queer people deserve to be treated fairly and equally and we demand change.”
In January, the Met released CCTV images of three men who were seen at Heklina’s flat in the early hours of 3 April, and appealed for them, or anyone who knows them, to come forward.
At the time, Peaches told the BBC she was “furious” that it had taken such a long time to make a public appeal and believed the slow process of the investigation was down to homophobic attitudes within the force.
“When I left London, they had assigned me a family liaison officer. They convinced me we would be updated weekly, that we would be included in the process, that we would be informed of anything. I got on that plane, and every email went unanswered for months and months. They completely ignored us.”
In March 2023, a month before Heklina’s death, a review into the Met by Baroness Louise Casey found the force was institutionally homophobic, racist and misogynistic.
“Deep in its culture, it is uncomfortable talking about racism, misogyny, homophobia and other forms of discrimination,” Casey wrote.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Cheddar said: “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 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. A life, regardless of how it is lived, holds inherent value. Loss warrants equal care, compassion and thorough investigation. To suggest otherwise is not just misconduct but a dangerous failure that places multiple communities at risk,” she claimed.
Fellow Drag Race UK star Crystal said: “Heklina was one of the first people to give me an international booking, in San Francisco, long before Drag Race, and I’ve remained a huge admirer. I’m horrified to learn from Peaches about the huge failures of the Met Police in the investigation and communication surrounding her death.
“I’m unfortunately no stranger to the justice system, and marginalised communities know first-hand the bias that can be found within the police force. We demand answers, we demand justice and we demand better.”
