The Beverly Hills Hotel has responded to the accusation that they are owned by the anti-gay government of Brunei.

‘There are dozens of countries with laws not as progressive as the United States or the state of California, and extreme conservative religious and rigid forms of law exist in many nations around the world,’ said a statement from Leslie Lefkowitz, spokesperson for the Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air.

‘In no way shape or form do they affect any of the policies that govern how we run our business. When evaluating who we are and what we believe in, it is not about the laws of those countries, but instead, all about our morale code and values. We treat our guests, travel partners, and one another with the utmost respect, integrity and decency that they deserve.’

US union Unite are campaigning against the hotel over a labor dispute and the fact that they are owned by the government of Brunei where homosexuality is illegal. LGBT rights groups were excluded from a meeting of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) civil society groups in Brunei last month.

Hal Weiss, the organizer of Unite’s campaign against the hotel, challenged Lefkowitz’s response, saying that their protest was not about Brunei affecting the hotel’s policies, but that their profits go to a homophobic, repressive regime.

‘Yes, "extreme conservative religious and rigid forms of law exist in many nations around the world" but those nations do not all operate hotels in Europe and the United States,’ said Weiss.

‘Customers of Dorchester hotels like the Beverly Hills Hotel should know that they are spending money at a business owned by homophobes. The particular policies of the Beverly Hills hotel or the Dorchester company are irrelevant, because the owner of those businesses is anti-gay.’

Weiss added that because the people of Brunei are not free to express dissatisfaction with their government, the responsibility falls on those who can freely protest.

‘Furthermore, protest and free speech are illegal in Brunei, so people that are marginalized by that countries laws need the solidarity of progressive people around the world more than anywhere else,’ said Weiss.

‘We intend to continue educating the public about what they are really supporting when they do business at a Dorchester property.’

Unite’s campaign involves regular protests outside the hotel, a petition and encouraging people who support LGBT rights to boycott the Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air.

‘It is within eveyone’s rights to boycott an establishment of any kind if they choose to,’ said Lefkowitz.

‘It is also within our rights to make it known and understood that every single employee of The Beverly Hills Hotel is treated equally, fairly and with the respect that they deserve.’