REV GRANT Storms is a name familiar to the gay community in US. He doesn’t much like gay festivals, and led protests against the New Orleans annual Southern Decadence event, describing it as “nasty” and “depraved”.

Storms, 53, is now back in the news, having been arrested at the weekend on accusations of masturbating in a public park.



He’s done everything through the years to disturb [the festival] and try to make it into something nasty. If the Rev. Storms is caught doing that in our city, it is ludicrous and heinous that he would have the nerve to complain about any kind of sexuality.

Storms was charged with obscenity after two witnesses told deputies they saw him touching himself while watching children on the playground at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.Storms told deputies he was just having lunch at the park when he had to go to urinate, so he relieved himself in a bottle.But two women said they saw Storms masturbating, and they notified sheriff’s deputies. Officials said Storms later admitted to inappropriate conduct.Southern Decadence organiser, Chuck Robinson, told the Times-Picayune

According to the Advocate:

Storms has orchestrated counter-events for Southern Decadence in the past, and in 2004, filed a lawsuit against gay rights group Action Wisconsin for defamation, but the suit was thrown out of court. He has also been an advocate for cleaning up the French Quarter, and has gone as far as filming sexual acts that took place during Southern Decadence, and screening his videos to lawmakers as a way to coerce them to stop allowing the annual festival from takingÂ place.

Relatives , according to this report, claim that Storms had been on a downward spiral of late. Said Kim Lafferty, Storms’ sister-in-law:

My feelings would be… yes, I saw it coming.

Oh dear.

Hat Tip: Alan